Vine of Obstacles Zen

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Record of Going Easy

Bumping Into It Here, Knocking Into It There: Fǎyǎn’s Substance and Name

Dahui

Plucking a Blade of Grass: The Wondrous Dharma of Miàodào

Below you will find a dharma talk by an incredible (and largely unknown) Zen master, Miàodào Dǐngguāng (1095-1170), one of only three women Zen masters listed in Outline of the Linked Flames, a transmission of illumination collection published in 1183. Miàodào had been a student of the Cáodòng (J. Sōtō)

Going Through the Mystery

The Awakening of Yaeko Iwasaki: No Place Not Known

No Place Not Known V20:00/1431.3795921× In this post (actually a slightly clean-up repost from earlier this year), you'll find a selection from Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions. Also, a few years back, while I was in the midst of translating and

Denkoroku

Establish Yourself In The Ground Of Dharma

This week in our Vine of Obstacle Zen practice period, we are studying the 46th ancestor, Danxia Zichun (丹霞子淳, Vermillion Mist Pure Child; J. Tanka Shijun; 1064–1117) through Keizan's Record of the Transmission of Illumination. In this post, I'll give you a tiny bit of

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Keizan

On the Branches of a Tree With No Shadow: Great Ancestor Mufuku Sonin

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Full Moon, Rolling Clouds

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Record of Empty Hall

Yantou Doesn’t Agree: More on Mature Zen

Record of Going Easy Featured

Learn Zen From This Old Woman: Iron Grindstone’s Old Cow From The Record of Going Easy

We're deep into winter here at the Neyaashi Zen Hermitage. Intense cold and clarity follow the big storm that swept through much of the country last week, and we're looking at forecasts for more snow this week. What better time for the Iron Grindstone?! Iron Grindstone

Going Through the Mystery

The Diamond Trap and the Fortune Teller: Going Through the Mystery 40

Dogen

Dogen’s Instruction for Householder Zen Training

(Eihei kōroku V8.14) Translated with introduction and notes by Dōshō Port Introduction Because this Dōgen dharma discourse (hōgo) was written for householders, includes examples of awakened householders, and offers instructions for householders, I've long been curious about it. After all, 99% or so of those engaged in

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Dogen

Do Not Get Close To Such People (EK8.14.7)

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Dogen

Noble Ones, Do You Not Trust This Yet?(EK 8.14.6)

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Dogen

Householders With the Power to Polish the Bright Mirror (EK 8.14.4)

Further Zen Conversations Featured

The "Zen Center Model" is Broken: Excerpt from "Further Zen Conversations"

In the fall, I met with Rick McDaniel for an interview for his new book, Further Zen Conversations. Rick has published a bunch of really good books about Zen in recent years (click here for more). He's such a skilled interviewer that I encouraged him to start a

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Dogen

The Difficulties of Being a Zen Student (EK V8.14.3)

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Dogen

Wandering Destitute into a Demon Pit (EK V8.14.2)

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Dogen

The Central Importance of Inquiring of a Teacher (EK V14.8.1)

Eagles

Ice and Eagles

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Dogen

The Lotus Flowers In This Pond Are So Fragrant (EK V8.14.9)

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Dogen

Round and Smooth Like a Pearl (EK V8.14.8)

Going Through the Mystery

The Intimate Friend: Where is Enlightenment’s Exquisite Flowering?

Eagles

Bald Eagles!

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Dogen

Dōgen: Find a Good Teacher, Ask For a Koan, Break Through (EK V8.14.5)

Going Through the Mystery

Going Through the Mystery 1: What Place is Smooth

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Blue Cliff Record

Blue Cliff Record, Case 86: Yúnmén's Radiant Light