Vine of Obstacles Zen

Going Through the Mystery

Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions Book Description

Dahui's Shobogenzo

Not in Vain

Dogen

Whole-Body Little Dog: New Translations of Two Old Dōgen Poems

Bodhidharma and a bit about Takujū Kosen Zenji

Above is the "Bodhidharma" of Takujū Kosen (卓洲胡僊; 1760–1833) - one of my favorites in genre. Takujū Zenji is an important teacher in the Rinzai lineage of Harada Sogaku Rōshi in which Takujū is the third ancestor after Hakuin (following Tōrei and Gasan). He played a key

Real Wild Fox

I was up early this morning, working on another go-round of edits for my forthcoming book (which might be out later this year - earlier than I first thought), Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions, and specifically on aligning the translations of the Wild Fox Koan across

Dogen

More Dōgen on the Mu Kōan

One of the early scholarly texts (in English) on Dōgen's teaching was Carl Bielefeldt's Dōgen's Manuals of Zen Meditation (1988). I read it soon after publication and found it eye-popping! The power of it's message has not faded with age. Indeed, I

Paid-members only

Full moon, Gichi Gami (Lake Superior)

Dahui's Shobogenzo

How to Concentrate in the Midst of Daily Affairs

In this “shortie" I'm offering another passage from Dahui's Shobogenzo (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye) that brings up the key issue for many dharma practitioners: How to concentrate in the midst of daily affairs. This is from Master Zhenjing, a 19th generation successor in

What is a Homeleaver?

Record of Going Easy

Record of Going Easy, Case 31: Yúnmén’s Pillar

You Might Need More Than One Dog: The Problems with Kōan Work Today

In this post, I identify a few problems in kōan training, highlight what I regard as the biggest problem, offer an example from my teaching practice, and speculate about the causes of these issues. Along the way, I wonder if it is appropriate for householders to take up kōan introspection.

Fukanzazenki

What is Not-Two's Nature? from Going Through the Mystery's One Hundred Questions

Members only

Stinking Skin Bags, Blind Donkeys, Parrots and Studying the Buddhadharma

Dogen

Dōgen on Zhàozhōu’s MU

Dahui's Shobogenzo

Floating Clouds and the Pure Reality Body

Greetings Patrons, Here is another excerpt from Dahui's Shobogenzo. Master Ciming was a 17th generation successor of Bodhidharma in the Linji lineage known for his innovative teaching style. Although a monk, it seems that he had a wife who lived near the temple. You can read more about

Striving

Suzuki Shunryū Rōshi and Striving

Now, as for striving and Sōtō Zen - I bet you've it said heard before - Sōtō Zen is about no-gaining mind. And sometimes those who make this one-chopstick assertion cite the Heart Sutra's "no attainment." And yet, the Heart Sutra also teaches "

How To Escape?

Here's a Friday afternoon practice bump for ya: I've been working through an advance copy of Thomas Cleary's translation of Dahui's Treasury of the Eye of the True Teaching (aka, Shobogenzo, to be posthumously published by Shambhala in the fall). I'

Into the Pit of Birth and Death

When our personal and/or community life seems to be falling apart, what then? Our proclivity to use the practice as a safe refuge. This is an important developmental stage, but really only gets us some limited peace. What about when our safe refuge falls apart? All the ancient teachers

Four Little Fishies in the Big Zen Sea and How They Do Study

Overview This post is the second in a series of three on study practice in Zen. The first post, The Vital Importance of Studying Buddhadharma: Why and How, was the why and how - like the title says. In the third post, "Stinking Skin Bags, Blind Donkeys, Parrots and

Dogen

Taken By Surprise: Three Perspectives on Breath Work

Going Through the Mystery

Question 20: What is Our Country?

Going Through the Mystery

Going Through the Mystery Question 5: What Single Thing Are You Writing?

Study

The Vital Importance of Studying Buddhadharma: Why and How

Introduction In this post, I will explore two questions: "Why study the buddhadharma" and "How to study the buddhdharma as a practice of the buddhadharma." This is a fuller expression of these issues that Tetsugan Sensei and I posted for our students on the Vine of

Dahui

Almost Everything You Need Do To Awaken and Go Beyond Awakening: A Table Of Contents For The Teaching Of Dàhuì

Koan

Dark Night, Broken Bridge: What To Do When What's Worked Doesn't

The Broken Bridge, West Lake, Hangzhou, China Many of us come to a place in our journey where what once worked is broken, where the path is dark, where we're at a loss - especially in these dark days of ongoing pandemic, climate crisis, social divisions, and political