Practice Meetings

Tuesday Jun 18, 8:30am

Friday Jun 21, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 48, “Covering Mud with Straw”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #73 & Book of Serenity #6

“Mazu and the Hundred Negations”

A monk asked Grand Master Mazu,

“Abandoning the four phrases and renouncing the 100 negations, I beg Master to directly point to the meaning of that First Certain Someone’s coming from the West.”

Master Mazu said, “Today, I toiled and am weary and do not have the energy to explain it for you.  Take the question to Zhizang and go away.”

The monk asked Zhizang.

Zang said, “Why don’t you ask the Venerable?”

The monk said, “The Venerable instructed me to come and ask.”

Zang said, “Today my head aches, and I don’t have the energy to explain it for you. Take the question to Elder Brother Hai and go away.

The monk asked Elder Brother Hai.

Hai said, “I arrived at this side, but still I don’t understand.”

The monk raised it to show to Grand Master Mazu.

Master Mazu said, “Zang’s head is white; Hai’s head is black.”

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Jun 11, 8:30am

Friday Jun 14, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 47, “Follow the Dharma”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #53

Baizhang and a Wild Duck”

Great Master Ma and Baizhang were walking to a rest stop.  Seeing young wild ducks passing in flight, Great Master said, “What’s that?”

Baizhang said, “Young wild ducks.”

Great Master said, “To what place are they going away?”

Baizhang said, “They passed in flight and are gone away.”

Great Master proceeded to twist the tip of Baizhang’s nose.

Baizhang did suffer the pain and cried out.

Great Master said, “How have they already flown and gone away?”

Practice Meetings

Tuesday Jun 4, 8:30am

Friday Jun 7, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 46, “A Handful of Simsapa Leaves”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #3, Book of Serenity #36

“Master Ma Was Restless”

Great Master Ma was restless.

The chief of the courtyard asked, “Venerable, so what have your esteemed hopes of recent days been?

Great Master said, “Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha.”

Practice Meetings

Tuesday May 28, 8:30am

Friday May 31, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 45, “Opening the Door”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #33

“No Mind, No Buddha”

A monk asked Baso, “What is the Buddha?”

Baso answered, “No mind, no Buddha.”

Practice Meetings

Tuesday May 21, 8:30am

Friday May 24, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 44, “The Elements Will Recombine”.

This Week’s Koan

Gateless Gate #30

“Mind is Buddha”

Daibai asked Baso, “What is the Buddha?”

Baso answered, “This very mind is the Buddha.”

–Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

Practice Meetings

Tuesday May 14, 8:30am

Friday May 17, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 43, “Everyone’s Tears Are Salty”.

This Week’s Koan

Blue Cliff Record #18, Book of Serenity #85

“The National Teacher’s Stupa Pattern”

Emperor Suzong asked National Teacher Zhong, “After your 100 years, what object ought to be in place?”

The National Teacher said, “Build a particular seamless stupa to give to this old monk.”

The Emperor stated, “Please teacher, what is the pattern of the stupa?”

The National Teacher was quietly respectful for long time and said, “Do you understand?”

The Emperor said, “I do not understand.”

The National Teacher said, “I have handed down the Dharma to my disciple Danyuan,, however he is fully acquainted with this business. Please decree that the question goes to him.”

Afterwards, the National Teacher passed into transformation.

The Emperor decreed that Danyuan be asked, “What is this meaning?”

Yuan said, “South of Xiang river, north of the lake,”

Xuedou’s attached words say, “A single palm does not make the sound of waves.

“In the middle there is gold sufficient for the whole nation.”

Xuedou’s attached words say, “A staff shaped in the mountains.”

“Below the shadowless tree, we’re united in the same boat.”

Xuedou’s attached words say, “A peaceful sea, a clear river.”

“Above the Crystal Palace, there is no knowledge.”

Xuedou’s attached words say, “Picking it up is finished!”

Xuedou’s Ode says:

–Master Hsing Yun, Describing the Indescribable

Practice Meetings

Tuesday May 7, 8:30am

Friday May 10, 7:00pm

This Week’s Reading

Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 42, “Love Is Understanding”.

This Week’s Koan

Book of Serenity #42

“Nanyang and the Water Jug”

A monk asked National Teacher Chû of Nanyô, “What is the essential body of Vairocana
Buddha?”

National Teacher said, “Pass me that water jug.”

The monk passed him the water jug.

National Teacher said, “Put it back where it was.”

The monk asked again, “What is the essential body of Vairocana Buddha?”

National Teacher said, “The old Buddha is long gone.”

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.”

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

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?”