Monthly Archives: May 2015

May 17 – 23

Not being tense but ready.
Not thinking but not dreaming.
Not being set but flexible.
Liberation from the uneasy sense of confinement.
It is being wholly and quietly alive, aware and alert, ready for whatever may come.

– Bruce Lee

Practice Meetings

Friday May 22, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #97
“The Emperor’s Treasure”

Emperor Dôkô spoke to Kôke saying,

“I have attained the treasure of the Central Plain. However, no one can set a price on it.”

Kôke said, “Your Majesty, please lend it to me so that I may see.”

The emperor pulled the straps of his helmet hood with both hands.

Kôke said, “Who can dare to set a price on the emperor’s treasure!”

May 10 – 16

“Let whatever happens, be what needs to happen, so that I may awaken.”

– T. Scott McLeod

Practice Meetings

Friday May 15, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #35
Three Threes

 Manjusri asked Wuzhu, “What place have you departed from recently?”

Wuzhu said, “The region of the South.”

Jusri said, “So how is the Buddha Dharma kept alive in the region of the South?”

Zhu said, “Recently, few of the mendicants of the Dharma respect moral discipline and the rules.” [fn35]

Jusri said, “How many assemblies?”

Zhu said, “Perhaps three hundred, perhaps five hundred.”

Wuzhu asked Manjusri, “So how is it kept alive in this space?”

Jusri said, “The ordinary and sacred reside together, dragons and snakes mingle.”

Zhu said, “How many assemblies?”

Jusri said, “Three threes in front; three threes in back.”

May 3 – 9

“To be enlightened is to know oneself and not run away.”

-Veronique Vienne

Practice Meetings

Friday May 8, 7:00pm

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #22
“Kaatz!”

Gantô came to Tokusan. He straddled the threshold of the gate and asked, “Is this ordinary or is this holy?”

Tokusan shouted, “Kaatz!” Gantô made a deep bow.

Hearing of this, Tôzan said, “Hardly anyone but Gantô could have accepted it that way.”

Gantô said, “Old Tôzan can’t tell between good and bad. At that time, I raised up with one hand and suppressed with the other.”