Category: Zen Meditation
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91. Zen Phrases
1.) The test of zen is to find that still point within, even in the midst of chaos.2.) Hakuin Zenji taught: Find the silence which contains thoughts.3.) The ego is a fabricated illusion4.) People are afraid to empty their minds fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.What they don’t realize is their own…
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A Letter to the Sangha: Abbot Mako on Skillful Action
Dear Sangha, As I sit at my desk at Tassajara—a place beloved by myself and so many others—and watch the evening light cast flickering shadows across the tatami floor of the Abbot’s cabin, I feel deeply grateful to be right here. From this seat, I am in harmony with the ancient oaks, the sound…
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The Presence of Poetry in Our Lives: A Conversation with Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye
Ryushin Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye By Tova Green Poet Naomi Shihab Nye and SFZC Senior Dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller will co-host A Benefit for Gaza: Writers Witness for Peace on May 18, 4 pm at City Center, 300 Page Street. Naomi and ten writers of diverse faiths and backgrounds will read…
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Letting Go of Minimalism
As a younger man, I prided myself on being a minimalist. I never owned more possessions that what I could fit into a duffel bag. I did my best to avoid clothing purchases; choosing to make due with the free t-shirts that were passed out at college fairs and job recruitment events. When I finally…
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Rolling in the Grass
As I write this, it feels like hundreds of ants are biting my arms and legs. I have a grass allergy, and prolonged exposure results in itching and small bumps appearing on my skin. It’s been this way my whole life. When I was a child I loved playing outdoors with my friends. We spent…
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Mysterious Author, Mysterious Soul | Wisdom Teachings of Sambodhi Padmasamadhi (Volumes 1-70)
~ ∞ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi – Infinite Quantum Zen ~ ∞ ~ This is the preface and introduction for a 70-volume series called “Wisdom Teachings of Sambodhi Padmasamadhi.” Due to their length, the text has been divided into multiple parts. Here is the full list of contents for your convenience. • Preface. • Dear…
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Are we from the future? Are we from another world? | Wisdom Teachings of Sambodhi Padmasamadhi (Volumes 1-70)
~ ∞ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi – Infinite Quantum Zen ~ ∞ ~ This is the preface and introduction for a 70-volume series called “Wisdom Teachings of Sambodhi Padmasamadhi.” Due to their length, the text has been divided into multiple parts. Here is the full list of contents for your convenience. • Preface. • Dear…
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THE YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: ICHI-GO, ICHI-E
Richard Reishin Collins, Abbot Kusen, Stone Nest Dojo, 19 May 2024 Yesterday, as I was reading in my study, I heard a thump against the glass of the outside doors. When I looked to see what had caused the noise, I saw a bird twitching on the bricks, but it didn’t twitch for long. It…
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the ENDLESS JOURNEY of KŌDŌ KYŌHAN 廣道映範 AUBREY LEBLANC (1985-2023)
What follows are the memorial remarks made at Stone Nest Dojo on 10 December 2023 by Richard Collins, Abbot of the New Orleans Zen Temple, on the death of Aubrey LeBlanc. Endless Journey When the great Zen master Sengai (1750-1837) was asked by a parishioner for a blessing for his new baby, the old monk…
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Jukai Ceremony at City Center on April 19
From L to R: Margaret Coad, Elliot Mercer, Jisan Tova Green, Shosan Victoria Austin, Anshi Zachary Smith, Benchi Tangde and Sherwin Yu. Photo by Shundo David Haye. Congratulations to the initiates who received the precepts in a Jukai Ceremony at SFZC’s City Center on April 19th. Receiving the precepts from Shosan Victoria Austin: Benchi…