What does the spring wind have in mind,

Coming day and night to these groves and gardens?

It never asks who owns the peach and damson trees

But blows away their crimson without a word.

Ch’i-Chi, in The Clouds Should Know Me By Now

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Feb 26, 8:30am

Friday Mar 1, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 32, “The Finger Is Not the Moon”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #78: “Bodhisattvas in the Bath”

In ancient times there were 16 bodhisattvas. At the time for monks to bath they followed the custom and entered the bath, and suddenly awoke by the primary cause of water.

All you Virtuous Ones of Zen, how do you make it alive to comprehend them saying, “The wonderful touch proclaims the brilliance and becomes the abode of the Buddha’s children.”

Also, [you] must do eight holes in seven borings to begin to get it.

This fundamental consciousness

in itself is nothing at all.

In the voidness of reality

lack of realizer and realized is realized, 

lack of seer and seen is seen,

lack of knower and known is known,

lack of perceiver and perceived is perceived.

Milarepa, Drinking the Mountain Stream

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Feb 19, 8:30am

Friday Feb 22, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path While Cloud, Chapter 31, “I Will Return in the Spring”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #84, Book of Serenity #48 : “The Vimalakirti Sutra’s Non-Duality”

Vimalakirti asked Manjusri,

“What does it mean that the Bodhisattva enters the
Dharma-gate of Not-Two?”

Manjusri said,

“I see it like this: in all phenomena, there are
neither words nor explanations, neither presentations nor knowledge; it is beyond all
questions and answers. That is what I understand with ‘to enter the Dharma-gate of
Not-Two’.”

Then Manjusri asked Vimalakirti,

“All of us have finished giving our explanations. Now you
should give your explanation. What does it mean that the Bodhisattva enters the
Dharma-gate of Not-Two?”

Vimalakirti remained silent.

Unless we practice loving feelings toward everyone we meet, day in, day out, we’re missing out on the most joyous part of life. If we can actually open our hearts, there’s no difficulty in being happy. 

Ayya Khema, Be An Island

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Feb 12, 8:30am

Friday Feb 15, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path While Cloud, Chapter 30, “Bamboo Forest”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #22: “Kashyapa’s Flagpole“

Ananda asked Kashyapa, “The World-honored One gave you the golden robe; did he give you anything else?”

“Ananda!” cried Kashyapa.

“Yes, sir!” answered Ananda.

“Knock down the flagpole at the gate,” said Kashyapa.

Mumon’s Comment:

Tell me—question or answer—which was more intimate?

Many have knit their brows over this;

Elder brother calls, younger brother answers, and they betray the family secret.

They had a special spring, not one of yin and yang.

Even a strong wind is empty by nature.

Even a great wave is just ocean iteslf.

Even thick southern clouds are insubstantial as sky.

Even the dense mind is naturally birthless.

Milarepa, Drinking the Mountain Stream

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Feb 5, 8:30am

Friday Feb 8, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path While Cloud, Chapter 29, “Dependent Co-Arising”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #6: “Buddha Holds Up A Flower“

When Buddha was in Grdhrakuta mountain he turned a flower in his fingers and held in before his listeners. Every one was silent. Only Maha-Kashapa smiled at this revelation, although he tried to control the lines of his face.

Buddha said:

“I have the eye of the true teaching, the heart of Nirvana, the true aspect of non-form, and the ineffable stride of Dharma. It is not expressed by words, but especially transmitted beyond teaching. This teaching I have given to Maha-Kashapa.’

Mumon’s Comment:

    At the turning of a flower

    His diguise was exposed.

    No one is heaven or earth can surpass

    Maha-Kashapa’s wrinkled face.