Practice Meetings

Tuesday Oct 30, 8:30am
Friday Nov 2, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path While Cloud, Chapter 18, “The Morning Star Has Risen”.

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #28: “Gokoku’s Three Disgraces”

A monk asked Gokoku, “How about when a crane perches on a withered pine tree?”

Gokoku said, “It is a disgrace when seen from the ground.”

The monk asked, “What about when every drop of water is frozen at once?”

Gokoku said, “It’s a disgrace after the sun has risen.”

The monk asked, “At the time of the Esho Persecution [1], where did the good Guardian Deities [2] of the Dharma go?”

Gokoku said, “It is a disgrace for the two of them on both sides of the temple gate.”

[1]: Buddhism was suppressed by order of Emperor Bu (about 840).

[2]: Nio-figures representing the two Deva kings on each side of the main gate of a Buddhist temple. They are considered to be protectors of the Dharma.