A peaceful mind is a compassionate mind.

 

–Ayya Khema, Be an Island

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Apr 30, 8:30am

Friday May 3, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 41, “Cover the Land in Gold”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #99

“The National Teacher Taming and Driving”

[Yuanwu’s] Appended pointer says:

A test is raised for examination:

Raised:

Emperor Suzong asked National Teacher Zhong, “So what is the ‘The Taming and Driving One’ of the ten bodies [of Buddha]?”

The National Teacher said, “Patron, the supreme practice of surpassing stepping on Vairocana’s crown.”

The Emperor said, “[This] solitary person does not understand.”

The National Teacher said, “[One] never recognizes one’s own self’s pure and clear Dharma-body.”

Compassion is the willingness to play in the field of dreams even though you are awake.

 

–Matthew Flickstein, Swallowing the River Ganges

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Apr 23, 8:30am

Friday Apr 26, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 40, “Cover the Land in Gold”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #17

“National Teacher’s Three Calls”

The National Teacher called his attendant three times, and three times the attendant responded.

The National Teacher said, “I long feared that I was betraying you, but really it was you who were betraying me.”

Mumon’s Verse

He carried and iron yoke with no hole

 And left a curse to trouble his descendants.

If you want to hold up the gate and the doors,

You must climb a mountain of swords with bare feet.

What is the skillful approach of someone seriously interested in realizing his or her highest potential? Stated simply, it is to keep the mind continuously in as happy and peaceful a condition as possible.

 

–Lama Thubten Yeshe, Introduction To Tantra

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Apr 16, 8:30am

Friday Apr 19, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 39, “Waiting for Daybreak”.

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #5

“Qingyuan’s Price of Rice”

A monk asked Qingyuan,

“What is the essence of Buddhism?”

Qingyuan said,

“What is the price of rice in Roryô?”

Insofar as we all run from suffering

even experienced within a dream,

and yet always fall short of satisfaction

even within the heights of sublime happiness,

living beings cannot be differentiated.

It is therefore great self-delusion

to have no thought for the happiness of others.

 

–Tsongkhapa, The Splendor of an Autumn Moon 

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Apr 9, 8:30am

Friday Apr 12, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 38, “O, Happiness!”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #29

“Not the Wind, Not the Flag”

The wind was flapping a temple flag, and two monks started an argument.

One said the flag moved, the other said the wind moved;

they argued back and forth but could not reach a conclusion.

The Sixth Patriarch said, “It is not the wind that moves, it is not the flag that moves; it is your mind that moves.”

The two monks were awe-struck.

Mumon’s Verse

Wind, flag, mind, moving,

All equally to blame.

Only knowing how to open his mouth,

Unaware of his fault in talking.