Practice Meetings

Tuesday Jul 9, 8:30am

Friday Jul 12, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 51, “The Treasure of Insight”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #40

Kicking Over the Water Jug

When Isan Oshõ was with Hyakujõ, he was tenzo [head cook] of the monastery.

Hyakujõ wanted to choose a master for Mount Tai-i, so he called together all the monks and told them that anyone who could answer his question in an outstanding manner would be chosen.

Then he took a water bottle and stood it on the floor, and said, “You may not call this a water bottle. What do you call it?”

Isan tipped over the water bottle with his feet and went out.

Hyakujõ laughed and said, “The head monk loses.”

Isan was named as the founder of the new monastery.