Monthly Archives: May 2014

May 25 – 31

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” 
 
-Alan Watts

Practice Meetings

Thursday May 29, 8:30am

Friday May 30, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #2
The Real Way is Not Difficult

Joshu, instructing the assembly, said, “‘The Far-reaching Way is without difficulty, only rejecting picking and choosing.’  Only when there is language is there choosing or is there clarity. An old monk does not exist within clarity.  Are you still fond of taking sides or not?”

At that time a monk had a question: “Since one does not exist within clarity, what part of taking of sides is there to be fond of?”

Joshu said, “I too do not know.”

Monk said,  “Venerable, since you do not know, why do you yet say you ‘do not exist within clarity’?”

Joshu said, “By asking, you are able to draw near the matter; complete the ceremonial bowing and withdraw.”

May 18 – 24

“Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.” 
 
-Alan Watts

Practice Meetings

Thursday May 22, 8:30am

Friday May 23, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #37, Book of Serenity #47
The Oak Tree In The Garden

A monk asked Joshu, “What is the meaning of the patriarch’s coming from the West?”

Joshu said, “The oak tree there in the garden.”

Verse
Words cannot express things;
Speech does not convey the spirit.
Swayed by words, one is lost;
Blocked by phrases, one is belwildered.

May 4 – 10

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
-Lao Tzu

Practice Meetings

Thursday May 8, 8:30am

Friday May 9, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #31, Book of Serenity #10
Joshu Examines an Old Woman

A monk asked an old woman, “What is the way to Taisan?”

The old woman said, “Go straight on.”

When the monk had proceeded a few steps, she said, “A good, respectable monk, but he too goes that way.”

Afterward someone told Joshu about this.

Joshu said, “Wait a bit, I will go and investigate the old woman for you.”

The next day he went and asked the same question, and the old woman gave the same answer.

On returning, Joshu said to his disciples, “I have investigated the old woman of Taisan for you.”

Apr 27 – May 1

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
-Lao Tzu

Practice Meetings

Thursday May 1, 8:30am

Friday May 2, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #11
Joshu Sees the Hermits

Joshu went to a hermit’s cottage and asked, “Is the master in? Is the master in?”

The hermit raised his fist.

Joshu said, “The water is too shallow to anchor here,” and he went away.

Coming to another hermit’s cottage, he asked again, “Is the master in? Is the master in?”

This hermit, too, raised his fist.

Joshu said, “Free to give, free to take, free to kill, free to save,” and he made a deep bow.