Friday Nov 21, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Blue Cliff Record #10
“Muzhou’s Empty Headed Fool”
Muzhou asked a monk, “Where did you come from?”
The monk then shouted.
Zhou said, “This old monk, because of you, has one shout.”
The monk again shouted.
Zhou said, “After three shouts and four shouts, how do you make it come alive?”
The monk was speechless.
Zhou then hit him and said, “This is the top fellow of robbing and deceiving.”
Friday Nov 14, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #95
“Rinzai Draws a Line”
Rinzai asked the temple steward, “Where have you come from?”
The temple steward said, “From selling brown rice in the province.”
Rinzai said, “Did you sell all of it?”
The manager said, “Yes, I sold all of it.”
Rinzai drew a line with his staff and said, “Have you sold all of this too?”
The manager shouted, “Kaatz!” Rinzai immediately struck him.
Later, the cook came to Rinzai, who told him about this incident. The monk said,
“The steward didn’t understand Your Reverence’s intention.”
Rinzai said, “How about you?”
The monk made a deep bow. Rinzai struck him likewise.
Friday Oct 7, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #38
“Rinzai’s Person of No Rank”
Rinzai instructed his assembly and said, “There is one true person of no rank, always coming out and going in through the gates of your face. Beginners who have not yet witnessed that, look! look!”
Then a monk came out and asked, “What is the one true person of no rank?”
Rinzai descended from the rostrum and grabbed him. The monk hesitated.
Rinzai pushed him away and said, “The true person of no rank — what a shit-stick you are!”
Thursday Oct 23, 8:30am
Friday Oct 24, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #13
“Rinzai’s Blind Donkey”
When Rinzai was about to die, he entrusted Sanshô with his Dharma and said, “After my passing, do not destroy my treasury of the Eye of the true Dharma.”
Sanshô said, “How would I dare destroy your treasury of the Eye of the true Dharma?”
Rinzai said, “If someone asks you about it, how will you answer?”
Sanshô instantly shouted his Kaatz.
Rinzai said, “Who knows that my treasury of the Eye of the true Dharma has been destroyed by this blind donkey?”
Thursday Oct 16, 8:30am
Friday Oct 17, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Blue Cliff Record #32
“Rinzai’s Great Meaning”
Elder Ding asked Rinzai, “So, what is the great meaning of the Buddha Dharma?”
Rinzai got down from the meditation bench and seized and held him and gave a single slap, then held up his open palms.
Ding stood motionless.
A monk nearby said, “Elder, why don’t you bow ceremonially?”
Ding just then bowed ceremonially and suddenly had a great awakening.
Thursday Oct 2, 8:30am
Friday Oct 3, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Gateless Gate #28
“Ryûtan Blows Out the Candle”
Tokusan asked Ryûtan about Zen far into the night.
At last Ryûtan said, “The night is late. Why don’t you retire?”
Tokusan made his bows and lifted the blinds to withdraw, but he was met by darkness. Turning back to Ryûtan, he said, “It is dark outside.”
Ryûtan lit a paper candle and handed it to him.
Tokusan was about to take it when Ryûtan blew it out.
At this, all of a sudden, Tokusan went through a deep experience and made bows.
Ryûtan said, “What sort of realization do you have?”
From now on,” said Tokusan, “I will not doubt the words of an old oshõ who is renowned everywhere under the sun.”
The next day Ryûtan ascended the rostrum and said, “I see a fellow among you. His fangs are like the sword tree. His mouth is like a blood bowl.
Strike him with a stick, and he won’t turn his head to look at you.
Someday or other, he will climb the highest of the peaks and establish our Way there.”
Tokusan brought his notes on the Diamond Sutra to the front of the hall, pointed to them with a torch, and said, “Even though you have exhausted the abtruse doctrines, it is like placing a hair in a vast space. Even though you have learned all the secrets of the world, it is like a drop of water dripped on the great ocean.”
And he burned all his notes.
Then, making bows, he took his leave of his teacher.
Thursday Sept 25, 8:30am
Friday Sept 26, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #83
“Dogo’s Nursing the Ill”
Isan asked Dôgo, “Where have you come from?”
Dôgo said, “I come from nursing the ill.”
Isan said, “How many people are ill?”
Dôgo said, “There are some ill, and some not ill.”
Isan said, “The one who is not ill – isn’t that you, dear Chi?”
Dôgo said, “Ill or not ill – it has nothing to do with ‘that’ matter. Say it quickly! Say it quickly!” Isan said, “Even if I could say it, it would have no connection with that matter.”
Thursday Sept 18, 8:30am
Friday Sept 19, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #21
“Ungan Sweeps the Ground”
When Ungan was sweeping the ground, Dôgo said, “You are having a hard time!”
Ungan said, “You should know there is one who doesn’t have a hard time.”
Dôgo said, “If that’s true, you mean there is a second moon?”
Ungan held up his broom and said, “What number of moon is this?”
Dôgo was silent.
Gensha said, “That is precisely the second moon.”
Unmon said, “The servant greets the maid politely.”
Thursday Sept 11, 8:30am
Friday Sept 12, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #54, Blue Cliff Record #89
“Ungan’s Great Mercy”
Ungan asked Dôgo, “What does the Bodhisattva of the Great Mercy use so many hands and eyes for?”
Dôgo answered, “It is like a person in the middle of the night reaching with his hand behind his head groping for his pillow.”
Ungan said, “I understood.”
Dôgo said, “How did you understand it?”
Ungan said, “The whole body is hands and eyes.”
Dôgo said, “You said it very well. But you expressed only eight-tenths of it.”
Ungan said, “How would you say it, Elder Brother?”
Dôgo said, “The entire body is hands and eyes.”
―Rinzai
Practice MeetingsThursday Aug 21, 8:30am
Friday Aug 22, 7:00pm
This Week’s Koan
Book of Serenity #57
One Thing
Venerable Gonyo asked Joshu,
“How is it when a person does not have a single thing?”
Joshu said, “Throw it away.”
Gonyo said, “I say I don’t have a single thing. What could I ever throw away?”
Joshu said, “If so, carry it around with you.”