Vine of Obstacles Zen

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

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

Eagles

Ice and Eagles

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

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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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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

Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Zennies

Lars and the loon a tick pickers mommas don t let your babies grow up to be zennies 20:00/4:511× An old Waylon and Willie tune that an old Zen buddy, Larry Anderson, adapted. I had some minor input on the lyrics. Larry and I studied together with

Old Year, New Year

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Dogen

Great Doubt is Intimate

Dogen

Cultivating Verification in One School Zen: A New Shushōgi for Now

I recently wrote a piece titled, The "Soto Zen" of the PMSO: A New Religion Whose Time Has Passed, wherein I call out a text titled "Shushōgi" ("The Meaning of Practice Enlightenment"), a late-19th century summary of the teaching of Dōgen Zenji that has

Dogen

Everyone Has the Potential to Become Buddha

The Avalokiteshvara above is by the wonderful contemporary artist, Mayumi Oda. "Many people say that even though they have an aspiration to study the Way, it is the final age and they are at a low level of learning. It is impossible for them to practice in accord with