“Each of you is perfect the way you are … and you can use a little improvement.”

– Shunryu Suzuki

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Aug 7, 8:30am
Friday Aug 10, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path While Cloud, Chapter 6.

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #70: “Shinsan asks about Nature”

Master Shinsan asked Master Shuzan [1], “After you have clearly known the unborn nature of life, why are you still attached to life?”

Shuzan said, “The bamboo shoot necessarily becomes a bamboo. But is it possible to make a bamboo rope [2] already out of a bamboo shoot? [3]”

Shinsan said, “Later you will realize it yourself.”

Shuzan said, “My view is just as I said. What is your view?”

Shinsan said, “This is the temple steward’s quarters, and that is the cooks’ quarters.”

Shuzan made a deep bow.

[1]: The two masters were Dharma brothers.

[2]: A rope made out of thin bamboo tops.

[3]: That is, I am still “a bamboo shoot”; you cannot make “a bamboo rope” out of me.