Podcasts about tozan

"Zen in Our Time" and "Connecting the Dots" are themes that I have hit upon for 2025, forming the thread running through (one meaning of "sutra") all of my DharmaByte newsletter columns and online UnMind podcasts this year. Contextualizing the teachings and legacy of Zen in modern times — without throwing the baby out with the bathwater — is key to transmitting Zen's legacy. Connecting the dots in the vast matrix of Dharma — while bridging the gap between 500 BC to 2025 CE in terms of the cultures, causes and conditions — is necessary to foster the evolution of Shakyamuni's Great Vow, from the closing verse of the Lotus Sutra's Lifespan Chapter: I am always thinking: by what means can I cause sentient beings to be able to enter the highest path and quickly attain the Dharma? As in so many aspects of our overloaded society, when contemplating the next column or podcast, the question always arises, "Where do I begin?" I turn to my collaborators — Hokai Jeff Harper, publisher of the newsletter, and Shinjin Larry Little, producer of the podcast — for clarity and inspiration. Jeff responded to my call for suggested topics with an intriguing trio: • To everything there is a season• The wax and wane of householder zazen practice• What we are feeling right now IS impermanence manifesting itself Instead of choosing one over the others, it occurred to me that all three are important. And they are interrelated, in a kind of fish-trap narrowing of focus, from the universal span of spacetime as a causal nexus for humankind; then homing in on the social level, considering the modern householder's vacillation in attempting to pursue what began long ago as a monastic lifestyle; and finally zeroing in on the personal: the intimacy of realization within the immediate flow of reality. I will attempt to treat them in succession over the next three installments, in the context of transmission of Zen's Original Mind. TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASONIf you find the 1960s Pete Seeger song popularized by the Byrds running through your brain, you are not alone. If you recollect the poem from Ecclesiastes — which I studied in a unique, small-town high school literature course — you may be hearing echoes of: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Or from Tozan Ryokai: Within causes and conditions, time and season, IT is serene and illuminating And finally, from Dogen Zenji: Firewood becomes ash and it does not become firewood again.Yet do not suppose that the ash is future and the firewood past. You should understand that firewood abides in the phenomenal expression of firewood, which fully includes past and future, and is independent of past and future. Ash abides in the phenomenal expression of ash, which fully includes future and past.
 Just as firewood does not become firewood again after it is ash, you do not return to birth after death... Birth is an expression complete this moment; death is an expression complete this moment. They are like winter and spring; you do not call winter the "beginning" of spring, nor summer the "end" of spring. There are many more such incisive and insightful references to time in the literature of Zen, as well as Western thinking, of course, most notably Master Dogen's fascicle titled "Uji," which translates as something like "Being-time," "Existence-time," or "Living time," as Uchiyama-roshi renders it. This 13th Century writing is said to have anticipated the theory of Relativity, Einsteins' prodigious accomplishment, perhaps the most important scientific breakthrough of the 20th Century. But these few recollections from the rich legacy of Zen's written record will suffice for our purposes of connecting some of the dots in Indra's Net, or the modern components of the "Matrix of the Thus-Come One" as described in the Surangama Sutra. Scanning the Biblical poem, it is striking to see so many various activities and reactions to the obligations and behaviors of daily human life listed in equally dispassionate terms, not implying false equivalencies, but for example to blithely assert that there is "a time to kill" and "a time to heal"; "a time of war" and "a time of peace" — in the same breath — is in itself breathtaking, considering the admonition against killing, or murder, found in the Ten Commandments as well as the first Five Grave Precepts of Buddhism. Jumping to Master Tozan, or Dongshan, the founder of Soto Zen in 9th Century China, we find a hint of some resolution of the "whole catastrophe" in his reference to "IT" being "serene and illuminating," regardless of time and season, causes and conditions. This "it" appears in various Buddhist sayings and teachings, as tathata in Sanskrit — the inexpressible; or inmo in Japanese — the ineffable, the essential. These all point to what I analogize as a "singularity of consciouness" that emerges in zazen, where we pass the event horizon of conventional perception — the mind collapsing inward of its own mass — returning to and revealing our Original Mind, merging subject and object, duality and nonduality, in mokurai — the resolution of all apparent dichotomies. Earlier in Tozan's Precious Mirror Samadhi, or Hokyo Zammai, from which the above quote is taken, he magnifies the central place of this "it" in the experiential realm of Zen realization: Although IT is not constructed, IT is not beyond wordsLike facing a precious mirror, form and reflection behold each otherYou are not IT but in truth IT is you Master Dogen's coinage of "the backward step" captures this 180-degree attitude adjustment in the way we usually approach learning, self-improvement, and general development as human beings on the learning curve of reality. "From the very beginning all beings are buddhas," as Hakuin Zenji, 18th Century Rinzai Zen master, poet and artist states in the first line of his famous poem, "Song of Zazen." For every thing there may be a season, but when it comes to the most important thing in Buddhism, there is fundamentally no change — from beginning to middle to end — of this "poor player," life, strutting and fretting his/her hour upon the stage. In another line from Chinese Zen, the third Ancestor in 6th Century China captures this succinctly: Change appearing to occur in the empty world we call realonly because of our ignorance. So, somehow, once again, we are getting it all wrong, backwards. Our recourse is, of course, to get our butts back to the cushion; trust the original mind; take the backward step; and embrace the revolutionary notion that WE are not IT, but in truth IT is US. I cannot resist the urge to close this segment with one of my favorite quotes from the great Master Pogo: We have met the enemy and he is us. It may be a comfort to realize that "mine enemy grows older" as we age. We just have to outlive our enemies, including our own ignorance. Next month we will take up the second suggestion, the waxing and waning of householder zazen practice. Been there, done that.

Tozan

Ready set go!

Tozan!

Sgi is really missing out

Why has SGI forsaken the source ?

Direct connection to Nichiren Daishonin

In this episode we speak with Dr. Yesim Tozan, Associate Professor of Global and Environmental Health at NYU GPH, whose work explores the intersection of climate change, infectious disease, and health policy. Dr. Tozan shares her unique path from engineering to public health and offers a deep dive into the world of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. She discusses the role of mosquitoes as disease vectors, the rising public health risks due to climate change, and how temperature and rainfall impact disease transmission. Dr. Tozan also explains her groundbreaking work in developing early warning systems and mosquito surveillance projects, emphasizing the critical role of multidisciplinary teams and local partnerships. Join us for an enlightening discussion on combating infectious diseases through innovative science and community-centered approaches in a rapidly changing climate. To learn more about the NYU School of Global Public Health, and how our innovative programs are training the next generation of public health leaders, visit http://www.publichealth.nyu.edu.  

S4 Episode 42 - AritaDans ce nouvel épisode, nous vous emmenons au cœur de Kyūshū pour explorer la région de Saga, réputée pour son artisanat de sa porcelaine japonaise. Olivier nous partage cette étape de son dernier road trip. Premier arrêt à Okawachiyama, un petit village d'artisans niché dans les montagnes, où l'histoire de la porcelaine japonaise a débuté grâce aux techniques des potiers coréens venus au XVIIe siècle. Une balade bucolique entre four de potiers et boutiques d'artisans, le tout lové au creux d'une montagne.Le second arrêt sera dédié au village de Arita et à son sanctuaire Tozan-ji, avec son torii en porcelaine unique au Japon. Durant la Golden Week, de nombreux aux événements locaux y sont organisés, notamment une grande brocante où les artisans proposent leurs pièces à prix réduits.Pour terminer ce circuit, on s'arrêtera dans le magnifique café Gallery Arita, où chaque boisson est servie dans une tasse artisanale sélectionnée parmi des centaines de créations locales. Une adresse à ne pas manquer !Bonne écoute et bon voyage !************************************ Chapitrage :00:50 – Intro02:17 – Bien choisir son moyen de transport05:00 – Histoire d'Okawachiyama07:18 – Un style unique de porcelaine08:41 – Visite d'Okawachiyama : ambiance et architecture11:26 – Artisanat et tarifs des porcelaines locales12:53 – Les ateliers de porcelaine et la cérémonie shinto des anciens fours14:43 – Conseils pour éviter les attractions décevantes16:14 – Trajet idéal pour rejoindre Arita17:06 - Pause déjeuner au café Gallery Arita21:05 – La brocante annuelle et le sanctuaire Tozan-ji25:08 – Le coup de cœur de Laureline27:37 – Le coup de cœur d'Olivier31:51 – Le mot de la fin************************************ Liens utiles : notre carte pour retrouver toutes les adresses citées dans cet épisode,l'article d'Olivier sur le village d'Okawachiyamal'article d'Olivier sur le village d'Arital'article d'Olivier sur son itinéraire complet de deux semaines en road trip à Kyushu************************************ Le coup de cœur de Laureline : le restaurant Machiya à LondresLe coup de cœur d'Olivier : l'artisan de linogravure Japanese linocut ************************************* Nous remercions Yannick de La Feuille - production sonore & sound design qui a créé notre générique et nos jingles, et pour son aide précieuse au cours des premiers enregistrements.Suivez-nous en images sur le compte Instagram du podcast : @podcast.tabibitoHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on July 5, 2023. In this talk Do'on Roshi discusses the 18th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Tozan's Three Pounds of Flax.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Sensei at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on May 24th 2023. In this talk Do'on Sensei discusses the 15th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Tozan's Sixty Blows. *Note: There were microphone issues during the recording of this teisho which has resulted in a room echo. An effort was made to reduce the impact of the echo. However, full reduction was not possible. If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org. Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

This is an encore presentation of a May 2023 podcast with Alan Senauke,  the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. and author of "Turning Words, Transformative Encounters with Buddhist Teachers." He has a long involvement with Buddhist peace work and  music. --- The new introduction to this podcast tells about Alan's  heart attack, coma, and recovery which has enabled him to return to teaching and lecturing while being confined to bed and wheelchair. Learn more in the intro to the podcast and  at caringbridge.org/site/5f8e9c7a-e151-381f-8185-b311c544e39b> and gofundme.com/f/help-hozan-with-essential-home-care. More on Alan at cuke.com/people/senauke-alan.htm.

Short（短編） Chokoku-no-Mori Station to Gora Station, train interior sounds, train announcements, passenger voices 彫刻の森駅～強羅駅、車内音、車内アナウンス、乗客の声 * There is also a paid version of "Sound in Nature" which is rich in episodes and has a long version.(Apple podcast only) ※ロングバージョンのある有料版「Sound in Nature」もあります。 There is also a paid version of "Sound in Nature" which is rich in episodes and has a long version.(Apple podcast only) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-in-nature/id1569798616 WEB: https://soundinnature.com/

Çetin Ünsalan'ın hazırlayıp sunduğu Reel Piyasalar programına Deri Teknologları Teknisyenleri ve Kimyacıları Derneği Başkanı Dr. Murat Tozan konuk oldu.

Çetin Ünsalan'ın hazırlayıp sunduğu Reel Piyasalar programına Deri Teknologları Teknisyenleri ve Kimyacıları Derneği Başkanı Dr. Murat Tozan konuk oldu.

In the last segment of UnMind, we took up the most social of the Three Treasures: Sangha, or community. In this segment, we will continue with our analysis of the design of Dharma study; and in the next, that of Buddha practice, Zen's unique meditation, or zazen. These three constitute the highest values and manifestations of Buddhism in the real world, and the simplest model for the comprehensive nature of living a Zen life. They are regarded as three legs, without any one of which the stool of Zen is unstable. Design intent is reflected in their modus operandi, message, and method, respectively. Dharma study consists in reviewing and contemplating the “compassionate teachings,” the message transmitted by Shakyamuni and the ancestors down to the present day. While they were all, in effect, “speaking with one voice,” nonetheless Dharma ranks second in importance and emphasis, as an adjunct to meditation, just as Sangha comes in third, in providing the harmonious community and conducive environment for Zen. As referenced in Dogen's Jijuyu Zammai – Self-fulfilling Samadhi: Grass, trees and walls bring forth the teaching for all beingsCommon people as well as sages The “walls” are the infrastructure that was built around personal and communal practice in the form of our sitting space at home, grass hut hermitages, and meditation halls of temples, centers, or monasteries. This is the millennia-old design-build activity of the ancestors attested to by the stupas of India and the monasteries of China, Tibet, Japan, and the Far East, the legacy inherited by modern proponents of Zen in the West. Dharma likewise has been codified, collected, and contained in tangible documents, originally in the form of rice paper scrolls, now in books distributed worldwide in hardbound and paperback format. My own two current volumes in print ‑ “The Original Frontier” and “The Razorblade of Zen” ‑ were actually printed and bound in India, the home country of Buddhism They are also, or will soon be, available in electronic form, as eBooks and audiobooks accessible to virtually anyone, anywhere, anytime. It is as if Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion – s/he of the innumerable eyes and ears needed to see and hear the sights and sounds of dukkha in the world, with innumerable arms and hands bringing the tools necessary to help ‑ has come to be manifested globally, in the form of the worldwide network of mobile media. By means of which her ongoing witness to the suffering of the world is also recorded for posterity. Thus, the potential for Dharma to have an effect on the world at large has expanded exponentially, as in the vow: “I take refuge in Dharma, the compassionate teachings.” Taking refuge in the Dharma means returning ‑ or “fleeing back” ‑ to the original truths or laws of existence, and our place in it. Consider what the first teachings of Buddha really had to say, and what was their intended effect upon the audience. The First Sermon lays out the essential logic of the Middle Way, and its avoidance of extremes of attitudes and approaches to the fundamental problem of existence as a sentient, human being. The design intent of the Dharma as expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha, was, as far as we can determine from the written record, to correct the conventional wisdom of the time, which I take to have been primarily based on beliefs and doctrines of Hinduism. One well-known example is his teaching of anatta or anatman, a refutation of the Hindu belief in a self-existent soul, or atman. Not being a scholar, I am basing this on my scant study of the canon and the opinion of others more learned than I. Considering how the Dharma was first shared gives us an insight more technically oriented to the intent of its design. In the beginning was the spoken word of Siddhartha Gautama, similar to the Bible's creation story. Buddha never committed a single word to paper, or so we are told. It is also said that he “never spoke a word,” a comment I take to mean that while language can point at the truths of Buddhism, it cannot capture them. Buddhist truth is uniquely experiential. It has to go through a kind of translation into language that is beyond language itself, as in the last stanza of Hsinhsinming‑Trust in Mind: Words! The Way is beyond language for in itthere is no yesterday, no tomorrow, no today Later given the honorifics of “Buddha, ‑ fully awakened one” and “Shakyamuni ‑ sage of the Shakya clan,” and others, ten in total, Siddhartha's First Sermon to the five ascetics with whom he had been practicing, begins with: O monks, these two extremes ought not be followed by one going forth from the household life. What are the two?There is devotion to the indulgence of self-gratificationWhich is low, common, the way of ordinary peopleUnworthy and unprofitableThere is devotion to the indulgence of self-mortificationWhich is painful unworthy and unprofitableAvoiding both these extremes the Tathagata has realized the Middle WayIt gives vision it gives knowledge and it leads to calm to insight to awakening to Nirvana The intent of the content was to dissuade these monks from continuing to follow the dictates of their method of asceticism, which Buddha had found to be ineffective, to say the least. And to hold out the hope that if they were able to relinquish their own opinions of the truth they were seeking, and the method for apprehending it, they would be able to accede to the insight that he had experienced directly in meditation, the “middle way.” “Tathagata,” by the way, is also one of the ten honorifics accorded to Buddha later in the course of his teaching career, meaning something like the “thus-come one.” It was most likely appended to this narrative when finally committed to written form, some four centuries after-the-fact. But our point is that the spoken language was the medium in which the teaching was first shared. Buddha was said to have spoken Pali, which is similar to, and perhaps a dialect of, Sanskrit. The theory I have heard explaining why they were not recorded in written form is that they were considered sacred, and writing them down would have made them vulnerable to accidental or intentional change. The oral tradition was more dependable in terms of preserving them with their original intent intact. So the “design intent” of Buddha's use of kind or loving speech was not the usual intent of language in general. It was intended to encourage others to apprehend the “Great Matter” of life-and-death in the most direct way, the only way, possible. Buddha recognized that there was no way of sharing his experience with others in the ordinary sense, so he resorted to parables and analogies, to allow his audience to see themselves in the pictures he painted, and to transcend ordinary understanding in words and phrases, or the pursuit of information, the usual application of language. The later codifying and organization of the original spoken teachings into the Tripitaka or “three baskets” was designed to allow teachers and students to study the voluminous canon in an orderly way, and to prioritize their approach to it in digestible bites. It was most likely understood that the existing literature of the time ‑ which had to be scarce, compared to today's glut of publications – was to be absorbed in concert with practicing the meditation that had led to Buddha's insight to begin with. As Master Dogen reminds: Now all ancestors and all buddhas who uphold buddha-dharma have made it the true path of enlightenment to sit upright practicing in the midst of self-fulfilling samadhiThose who attained enlightenment in India and China followed this wayIt was done so because teachers and disciples personally transmitted this excellent method as the essence of the teaching In the authentic tradition of our teaching it is said that this directly transmitted straightforward buddha- dharma is the unsurpassable of the unsurpassable The design intent of the teachings has been, from the very beginning, the direct transmission of the buddha-dharma, what Matsuoka-roshi referred to as “living Zen.” In the daily lives of monks and nuns, frequent repetition of chanting selected teachings enabled the monastics to deeply assimilate them. Master Dogen was known for connecting each and every regular daily routine with brief recitations, such as the Meal Verse, in order to bridge the gap between the sacred and the profane, the physical and the spiritual. Codification of the koan collections of Rinzai Zen ‑ some 1700 strong according to tradition, later organized into five sets by Hakuin Ekaku Zenji, the 18th Century Rinzai master ‑ represent design efforts to structure the lore and legacy of Zen's anecdotal history of exchanges between masters and students available in progressive levels of difficulty, enabling accessibility of the apparent dichotomies of Dharma. Soto Zen simplifies the approach even further by regarding zazen itself as representing the living koan, requiring nothing further to complement, or complicate, the process of insight. All the various models of buddha-dharma developed by the ancients qualify as efforts in information design ‑ visualizing images and what is called “pattern-thinking” ‑ that allow us to grasp the form of the Dharma beyond what mere words can convey. The Four Noble Truths comprise the first historical example of these descriptive models, including the prescriptive Noble Eightfold Path. Tozan's “Five Ranks” and Rinzai's “Host and Guest” come later, but have the same design intent – to help their students get beyond the limitation of the linear nature of language. My semantic models of the teachings, published in “The Razorblade of Zen,” represent more contemporary cases in point. Nowadays ‑ as testimonial evidence indicates, from one-on-one encounters in online and in-person dharma dialogs with modern students of the Way ‑ people are no longer studying buddha-dharma as they may have throughout history, when documents were rare. More often than not, they are reading more than one book at a time, in a nonlinear process I refer to as “cross-coupling”: simultaneously absorbing commentaries from one author or translator along with others; or perhaps comparing the teachings of more than one ancestor of Zen to those of a different ancestor. This may be an artifact or anomaly of the ubiquitous presence and availability of Zen material in print form, as well as the encyclopedic scope of online resources on offer today. It seems that in every category, and every language, we have at our fingertips a greater textual resource than ever conceivable in history, dwarfing the great libraries of legend. We can “google” virtually anything – no pun - with a few strokes of a keyboard. In addition, Artificial Intelligence threatens to bring together summaries and concoctions of content at the whim of any researcher; documents are readily searchable for those who wish to quantify uses of words and phrases at any point in history, teasing out trends and making judgments as to the hidden patterns in historical evolution of ideas. In this context it is difficult to ascertain the design intent of dharma as articulated today. It is not easy to discern the intent of the publish-or-perish, rush-into-print crowd, or to judge whether a given piece of contemporary writing is worth our effort and time to read. Fortunately, Zen offers a wormhole out of this literary catch-22. Zazen provides recourse to an even greater inventory of databases, built into our immediate sensorium. We can always return to upright sitting, facing the wall. This is where we will find the nonverbal answers we are seeking so feverishly, and somewhat futilely, in “words and letters” as Master Dogen reminds us in his seminal tract on meditation, Fukanzazengi: You should stop pursuing words and lettersand learn to withdraw and turn the light on yourselfwhen you do so your body and mind will naturally fall awayand your original buddha-nature will appear This stanza is sometimes interpreted as a slam on the nature of contemporaneous Rinzai practice predominant in the Japan of Dogen's time. But I think we should take a broader view of the great master's intent. He is merely cluing us in to the fact of the futility of pursuing literal, linear understanding of the Dharma in its manifestation as verbal expression. We are to turn our attention, instead, to the immediate and intimate presence of the self of body-and-mind ‑ beyond, or before, words can interfere. Here is where, and now is when, we will witness the full force of the design intent of the Dharma.* * * Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Shinjin Larry Little

Dharma talk by Eran Junryu Vardi Roshi of Eiryu-ji Zen Center in Wyckoff, NJ, USA on 2/18/2024.

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Designing DharmaDharma was the pointOf 2500 years —And forever more* * *Matsuoka Roshi would often say that most people go through life with something missing; they don't know what it is, but they definitely know it's missing. Finally, he said, they come to Zen to find it. Zazen is, of course, not the only way to penetrate the truths of existence, but as Sensei claimed, any method that works — yoga, prayer, philosophy, martial arts, chanting, etc. — “will have something of Zen in it.” He would often mention examples of undivided attention in sports, like baseball —e.g. Willie mays — as evidence of the focus factor of Zen. Master Dogen expressed something similar, in a passage with which I am sure Matsuoka Roshi was familiar:When dharma does not fill your whole body and mind you think it already sufficientWhen dharma fills your body and mind you understand that something is missingFollowing this remarkable assertion in Genjokoan—Actualizing the Fundamental Point, he goes into a long analogy of the ocean appearing to be circular from our perspective when no land is in sight, and how all things are like this:Though there are many features in the dusty world and the world beyond conditionsYou see and understand only what your eye of practice can reach.This “eye of practice,” vintage Dogen coinage, comes close to giving us a clue as to what Dharma is, and how we should expect to apprehend it in our own direct experience, rather than as a concept or belief. The implication is that our eye of practice can become more discerning through, well, practice. Nowadays we interpret Zen practice as indicating meditation itself, but of course it is all-inclusive of the various dimensions of life, as outlined in Buddha's original Eightfold Path, a kind of prescription for practice.In another passage, Eihei Koso Hotsuganmon—Dogen's Vow, the great Master and Founder of Soto Zen in Japan indicates that the Dharma is a trans-sensory phenomenon, not limited to an object of perception as such:We vow with all beings from this life on throughout countless livesTo hear the true DharmaThat upon hearing it no doubt will arise in usNor will we lack in faith“Hearing the true Dharma” does not imply hearing someone preaching the Dharma anymore than “seeing” what our eye of practice can reach implies visual perception. This is the “see” of “I see what you mean.” My best friend in high school used to say, with a mischievous grin, “Yes, but do you mean what I see?”You could make the case for “feeling” the true Dharma as well, and go beyond the senses in your embrace of the Dharma as having to do with sensation altogether, as Master Dogen mentions in Jijuyu Zammai—Self-fulfilling Samadhi after a long, effusive description of realization:When for even a moment you express the Buddha's seal By sitting upright in SamadhiThe whole phenomenal world becomes the Buddha's sealAnd the entire sky turns into enlightenmentAll this however does not appear within perception Because it is unconstructedness in stillnessIt is immediate realizationSo by this we are to understand that expressing or hearing the true Dharma is a transformational experience, not subject to ordinary understanding. But this should not surprise us; what, of all the many phenomena we experience on a daily basis, can we be said to truly understand? That the Dharma is beyond understanding does not mean that it is not real, or that it must be unimportant. We do not “understand” birth, or death, nor most of what happens in-between.At this point you may want to shout, in exasperation, “Please stop talking about Dharma and just tell me what it is!” If Dharma is beyond understanding, yet accessible to awareness, it is certainly beyond concepts, and far beyond words. Which brings up the central stanza from Tozan's Hokyo Zammai—Precious Mirror Samadhi:Although it is not constructed it is not beyond wordsLike facing a precious mirror Form and reflection behold each otherYou are not it but in truth it is youSo this unconstructed dimension of reality can be pointed at, if not captured, in words. Which explains the written record of some 84,000 sutras and the vast body of commentary on them from India, China and Japan. When it comes to the instructions for meditation, which Zen claims to transmit the method of Buddha himself, the words are not pointing at a description of reality, but rather offering a prescription for a do-it-yourself approach to entering into the true Dharma directly, through whole body-mind immersion. So as Pogo the Possum famously reminds us, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” The Dharma is already present in its multifarious manifestations, from the world of nature as well as the machinations of human kind, and beyond to the unlimited, inconceivable universe. The only thing coming between the true Dharma and ourselves is our own ignorance, both innocent and willful. It may help to consider the contrarian position that we already hear the true Dharma, that in fact we cannot hear anything but the true Dharma. Elsewhere I have argued that anything and everything we hear has to be dukkha, the universal dynamic of change that we human beings interpret as “suffering.” In order to hear any sound, the sound has to emanate from some level of change. No change, no sound. Similarly, we can assume that any sound we hear, including that of human voices, constitutes an instance of Dharma. It cannot be otherwise. Confusion sets in when we understand the language that the human voice is speaking, particularly if they are speaking of the Dharma. Instead of witnessing the concrete event that happens to be producing intentional sounds directed toward illuminating the Dharma, we find ourselves bogged down in the dualistic concepts being expressed in language, which is inherently dualistic in nature. Both things can be true at the same time, as the popular trope has it.The design of Dharma would then relate only to the spoken and written teachings, perhaps extending to the establishment of temples, monasteries and Zen centers as intentionally promulgating and propagating the practice. When we read the record of Buddha's teachings, or sutras, assuming that they capture the events fairly accurately, we can see that the format for their live presentation was similar to the ubiquitous talk show of today. Typically a member of the Order would interview the sage, asking questions for the benefit of the audience. Occasionally Buddha would have a guest or two sharing the couch.Our charge and challenge today is the same. How we present the Dharma to today's audience will be the determining factor in its acceptance, assimilation, and effect upon the denizens of our world. In my opinion, Zen may be one of the few hopes we have for world peace in an increasingly mad world. How we introduce Zen to the madding crowd and whether we can make it accessible to all levels of society will greatly condition the influence that the “compassionate teachings” have on the future. This is why we emphasize householder Zen, rather than the monastic model, in the Silent Thunder Order.If the Dharma were dependent upon a specific lifestyle or mode of living in the world, it would not be the Dharma. Imagine a world in which Zen has not yet been discovered and the method of its transmission is yet to be invented and designed. The bare manifestation of reality is still the Dharma. Or even further, a world on which there are no human beings to “hear” or “meet” the true Dharma, as we are told was the case a mere 250 to 300,000 years ago. The Dharma was already operative in that inchoate world. Dharma has many connotations. A couple that are indicative of its deeper meaning are that of a “being” — from a minute particle to the largest galaxy; and that of “law” — as in natural law, or the way reality works. In this latter definition it is close to a principle of physics, or Taoism's the “Way.” So Dharma as “teachings” in the form of words is merely pointing at the true Dharma that transcends words.But language is one of the most powerful and precise media that we have available to convey meaning But in communications design, the message is the message received, not the message sent. Master Dogen was a master of the language, as was Matsuoka Roshi, doubling down in his non-native tongue of English. That these past masters used language instead of being used by it makes them exemplars of the approach to solving the problem of propagation of Zen today. In literary circles the advisory trope is “Write what you know.” The key to being able to share the Dharma assets is to hear, or meet the true Dharma, oneself. In a “publish or perish” climate, we can expect to find a lot of folks rushing into print at their first inkling into what they think they recognize as the Dharma, or its corollary in their vernacular.That there is a true Dharma implies that there can be a false Dharma, or many such anomalies. Or we may quote one of the ancient but timely Ch'an poems on the subject, Hsinhsinming—Trust in Mind:There is one Dharma, not manyDistinctions arise from clinging ignoranceOnce the subject of Dharma is identified and introduced into the vernacular, it becomes subject to the same distortions as any other topic of discourse. Zen offers a refreshing approach to this dilemma. We say with Dogen, in Fukanzazengi—Principles of Seated Meditation:You should stop pursuing words and lettersLearn to withdraw and shine the light on yourselfWhen you do so your body and mind will drop awayAnd your original Buddha nature will appearNote that taking Dogen's “backward step” is the opposite of attempting to understand by pursuing linguistic concepts. It is also, fundamentally, the opposite of “doing.” This is the intersection of Buddha and Dharma. By engaging in an intentional act of non-action, thinking non-thinking, and doing non-doing, the natural process of realization can take place. Do your best to do nothing about this.In the next segment we will take up the third leg of the stool, that of Sangha, the harmonious community. * * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Shinjin Larry Little

A very simple koan -- but don't be fooled --Tozan's 3 pounds of flax is unfathomable.Automated transcripthttps://otter.ai/u/zGsGRmDcu7Nz236FU0_boOg4vMQ

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A monk said to Tozan, “Cold and heat descend upon us. How can we avoid them?” Tozan said, “Why don't you go where there is no cold or heat?” The monk said, “Where is the place where there is no cold or heat?” Tozan said, “When cold, let it be so cold that it kills you; when hot, let it be so hot that it kills you.” The Blue Cliff Record, Case 43 (Tozan Ryokai, 807-869)The monk asks “how can we avoid cold and heat?” Does he mean this literally? Is his question just about how to avoid extreme weather? Come to YUZ tomorrow and find out where the place is where there's no heat or cold (and it's NOT San Diego).

In this teisho, given on the fifth full day of Summer Sesshin, 2022, Rinzan Osho examines the fifth of Tozan's Five Ranks: Unity Attained.

In this teisho, given on the fourth full day of Summer Sesshin, 2022, Rinzan Osho examines the fourth of Tozan's Five Ranks: The Arrival at Mutual Integration

In this Teisho, given on the second full day of Summer Sesshin, 2022, Rinzan Osho examines the second of Tozan's Five Ranks: The Real Within the Apparent.

In this Teisho, given on the third full day of Summer Sesshin, 2022, Rinzan Osho examines the third of Tozan's Five Ranks: The Coming from Within the Real.

In this Teisho, given on the first full day of Summer Sesshin, 2022, Rinzan Osho examines the first of Tozan's Five Ranks: The Apparent Within the Real.

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Norman gives his second talk on Zen Master Dongshan  "Just This Is It" koans and stories about this seminal zen master.  The reference books used are; Taigen Dan Leighton "Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness." In this talk Norman also references the Denkoruku or "Transmission of the Light" Chapter 39 "Great Master Tozan Ryokai." https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/11201035/Zen-Manster-Donghsan-_Just-This-is-It_-Talk-2-Inanimaite-Beings-Denkoruku-_Transmission-of-Lamp_-Chapter-39-_Great-Master-Tozan-Ryokai_.mp3

Rinzai or Soto?It does not make much diff'rence —if you are sincere.* * *In the last segment, we ended with Matsuoka Roshi's cautionary tale about overreacting to the menu of Zen and other meditation teachers on offer today:In all the world now there are many genuine teachers and many more pretenders. The popular Zen teachers of today may fade in a year or two.He goes on to point out that with Master Dogen, and other teachers in the so-called unbroken face-to-face lineage from Shakyamuni on down, many of their stories are subject to revisionist history, which further amplifies his point on history as a great deceiver:Of course, if you were a slightly dishonest scholar of the Sung era who wanted to justify the Lin Chi sect's use of koans, it would be handy to make a venerable canon testify to that prior practice. This story, and that of Dogen, are just two specifics from modern Zen research to remind you to distrust historians a little. With bad information, it is easier to let yourself believe some embellished legends, and then wonder why they do not make sense in your own life.Why should the history of Zen Buddhism be any different, after all? As soon as any record is written down, as usual by the victors, it is subject to error, intentional or accidental. While we have the ideal of the separation of church and state as a contemporary meme, it was not always so. Those who do not study history may be doomed to repeat it, but we cannot take for granted that the written record is any more than an approximation of what actually happened, and why. The who, how, where and when are often questionable as well. Not to be too paranoid, but Zen Mind is one of few things we can trust:There is of course a second thing to distrust. There is nothing that is static, so do not look for an unchanging Zen tradition any more than you would look for an unchanging you. In examining Zen as it has been taught in all the different times and places in the last 2,500 years or so, the form has changed, and changed, and changed again. The original vinaya, or monastic rules, as set down by Shakyamuni Buddha to his disciples are no longer all practiced in the monasteries of modern China and Japan, and yet, the Zen practice is as authentic as the first practice of the historic Buddha.Here is a fundamental koan on the history of Zen: its form changes but its essence does not. It is based on the innate quality of the buddha, or awakened, nature, as being natural, the birthright of all humans. The method, that is the only concrete thing that is transmitted in Zen, is what fosters this realization. It does not matter, in this sense, what the historical details really were. We do not claim the performance of miracles, for instance, other than awakening to the miracle of existence itself.After going into tighter focus on the history of Zen in 9th century China, mentioning some of the standout “monsters” of Zen, as we like to refer to them, and remarking their differences, Sensei includes verbal and visual pedagogy:Each of the three schools [Ikyo; Ummon Zen; and Hogen Zen sects] was based upon meditation practice and upon the use of verbal or diagrammatic means to reveal the light of inherent wisdom. Wei Yang of Ikyo Zen and his disciples used a series of circular figures that they would draw in the sand. By means of these illustrations and the terse descriptions that accompanied them, and by question-and-answer, called “mondo,” the Ikyo masters worked for the liberation of their disciples.Socrates was not the only master innovating non-traditional teaching approaches. We are challenged to do likewise today.Wrapping up his brief survey of this century-plus of Ch'an, Sensei summarizes:Of the five schools of Zen, these three vanished. What is ironic is that Yun Men, founder of the Ummon sect, was the most popular of all the founders of the five houses of Zen in that century. And yet, the Ummon sect vanished. The two Chinese houses of Zen that lasted, and later crossed the shore to Japan, were Rinzai and Soto. These two I will discuss in a little more depth.Matsuoka Roshi, like many of the early pioneers of Zen in America, was steeped in the history of Zen, developing a near-encyclopedic memory of teachings and the exchanges between the great ancestors. But for our immediate ancestors, the history of Zen was inseparable from the history of the country, Japan, itself. In our case, they may appear as interesting — if somewhat irrelevant — stories from a remote part of the world. Imagine what it would be like if they were intertwined with the story of America, from its founding to the Revolution, and the subsequent establishment of the Republic. Master George Washington. Fully enlightened Thomas Jefferson, Zenji. James Madison, dai osho. John Adams, Roshi. Brother Ben Franklin, that iconoclast rogue monk. Householders all. But I digress:The Master I Hsuan (Gigen in Japanese) of Lin Chi Temple is credited with being the founder of the Lin Chi or Rinzai Zen sect. Lin Chi, as I Hsuan is also known, was a very intense, driven and severe disciple of Huang Po (Obaku Kiun in Japanese). He used beatings, shouting and other severe discipline in conjunction with koan practice to open the eyes of his followers. Although others before Lin Chi used these methods, under Lin Chi's guidance, they became a most skillful means of teaching to obtain immediate enlightenment. Lin Chi also discoursed on more doctrinal issues, like the four propositions of Indian Buddhist logic; but such discussions were the common interest of Zen disciples in China at the beginning of the Five Dynasties period. Despite his strict and somewhat brutal methods, Lin Chi was also well able to discourse on the dharma in public debate, a teaching method now sometimes called “dharma combat.” After Lin Chi, however, the teaching style of the sect became more formalized, and less spontaneous. Nonetheless, it has proved itself to be a vital and effective teaching.Where others see and tend to stress difference over sameness — the current political term of art being “divisiveness” — Sensei, and Zen teachers in general, tend to stress sameness over difference. The ultimate resolution of this binary is found in Sekito Kisen's Sandokai — Harmony of Sameness and Difference. Matsuoka Roshi had friends who were priests in the Rinzai sect, one of whom visited the Zen Buddhist Temple of Chicago, and was the guest speaker. Since it was in Japanese, I do not remember the content. But afterward, if memory serves, we began striking both shoulders with the kyosaku, the “wake-up” stick, instead of only the right shoulder. Sitting with a Rinzai group in Japan in 1987, I asked for the stick, and they struck down the back on both sides of the spine, rather than on the shoulders. I suspect that Matsuoka Roshi adopted the double strike as an influence of Rinzai, but do not know for sure.He goes on to compare Rinzai with Soto, the tradition in which he trained at Sojiji, Keizan's monastery:The original Ts'ao Tung sect does not bear much resemblance to the modern Soto sect. In fact, old Lin Chi Zen is closer to modern Rinzai than Ts'ao Tung is to modern Soto. The masters Liang Chiai of Tung Shan monastery, and Pen Chi of Ts'ao Shan monastery are credited as being cofounders of the Soto sect, although Liang Chiai died thirty-one years before Pen Chi. Again the main practice was zazen, but the “finger pointing to the moon of enlightenment” took the form of the teaching of the five ranks.The five ranks were a system of symbols used to differentiate among the levels of enlightenment. The ranks were the prince; the minister; the prince looking at the minister; the minister returning to the prince; and the prince and minister in harmony. Additionally, the idea of “host and guest” were used interchangeably with those of the “prince and minister.” Circular symbols in black and white as well as kua from the I Ching were also used to try to communicate this abstruse and complicated scheme of teaching. As those of you who have practiced Soto Zen know, we do not discuss the five ranks. Instead, we practice zazen-only Zen.So here we find the reduction to zazen-only, the hallmark of simplicity of Soto praxis. Tozan's Five Ranks constitute one of many such models that the ancestors designed to help their students visualize the big picture, while putting their main effort into the reality before their faces. The next sentence is a classic of stating the obvious, but with the resonance of Zen's encompassing worldview:Time passed, and change occurred. The Soto and Rinzai sects also changed. By the middle of the twelfth century AD, Rinzai had become the more popular Chinese Chan sect. The koan system became a regular feature of Rinzai practice. The word “koan” (kung-an in Chinese) translated literally means a “public case,” in this instance a public discussion of the truth of Zen. The koan were alogical problems which were given to disciples to solve. The solution of the koan could only be arrived at with an experience of satori, or some realization of enlightenment.Sensei goes on to demystify this thing, the koan, explaining that,…no intellectual solution to the koan is acceptable to the Rinzai masters because mental antics or logic are the chatter of the superficial self. Only after a hundred and eight thousand or more surface mind answers is the logical mind brought to a frustrated impasse. Then, and most suddenly at that moment, the eye of enlightenment sees with all certainty the solution to the koan.Sensei traces the origin of the schism that developed between the two systems:Two great Zen masters lived in the twelfth century China: Rinzai Master, Ta Hui (1189–1163 AD) and Soto Master, Tien T'ung (1091–1157 AD). These two contemporaries criticized each other's version of Zen teaching. You will hear their positions repeated today, so it is instructive to know what they said.And concludes his gloss on the history with a reconciliation of the conflict on the personal level:When Tien T'ung died, his Rinzai dharma combatant, Ta Hui, hastened to attend his funeral rites. Soto and Rinzai Zen of the Sung dynasty ending time is fairly much how Rinzai and Soto are practiced today.Puts one in mind of other famous contemporaries and their deaths, such as Huineng and Shenxui, of the so-called Southern and Northern schools of Ch'an. And, more recently, that of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who famously passed within hours of each other on July 4th, 1826.Sensei then brings us to our present lineage founder:It was not too long after Tien T'ung's death that Dogen Zenji was born in 1200 AD in Japan.We will not be able to fully cover this in-depth exegesis on the ways of Zen in the time we have available. I will share a few of the nuggets, with the hope that you will follow by studying the whole chapter and book. In concluding his remarks on Soto versus Rinzai pedagogy, Sensei uses some striking imagery:Rinzai Zen moves from the outer world to the inner world like a fearless hunter questing for an elusive quarry. If, however, you can understand… Dogen's “practice and enlightenment are the same”; and my “Five minutes of practice, five minutes a Buddha!”; you will know that Soto is just the opposite Zen of Rinzai.The original nature is already present and shining… In Soto Zen, when we sit, we let this original nature shine as it is. When we simply stop interfering, this original nature will melt all our hardness; will untangle our confusion; will blunt all our sharp and jutting angles; and will balance us perfectly without any effort of the small self directing an assault on the great and enlightened self.I think that this sudden enlightenment of the old Rinzai masters seemed so sudden because the way of koan inquiry into the original nature is not the way that the original nature is and acts. The practice of koan Zen applies an extra and angular energy to the primal radiant nature. It pits the small self's desire for peace and harmony with all its own turbulence against the great and silent original mind. Only when the Rinzai practitioner succeeds in exerting a 180 degree polar opposite and artificial energy, does the seat of consciousness turn about on its axis. Suddenly, like two out-of-phase magnets that flip and lock together with inseparable force, the original nature and worldly nature become one, fused inseparably. It seems sudden and violent because koan Zen moves against the outward and outpouring current of radiant enlightenment.All the while, the gradual Soto practice of zazen allows the original nature to dissolve the small, suffering and separated self, breath by breath. The end result does not seem, perhaps, as striking; but it is more sure as a Dhyanayana. No matter whether gradual or sudden, first remembering, then bringing the enlightened nature back into pre-eminence is the way of Zen.Sensei concludes with an exhortation for Americans to practice the gentler approach of Soto Zen:Today, I can absolutely recommend Soto Zen to you as the upaya and Dhyanayana of our time. If you are half-hearted, it will produce no ill effects; and, in fact, will improve some areas of your life physiologically, emotionally, or mentally. If you are sincere and determined to the end, Soto Zen will lead you surely, safely, and most harmoniously, to the supreme realization and to the subtlest Samadhi in this life.Note the definition of zazen Samadhi as the “subtlest,” Master Dogen's “fine mind of Samadhi,” or “subtle mind of Samadhi.”Please take Sensei's compassionate plea to heart. Just sit still enough, long enough, to let your true colors come shining through.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

THE MASTER TOZAN WAS WEIGHING SOME FLAX IN THE STOREROOM. A MONK CAME UP TO HIM AND ASKED: 'WHAT IS BUDDHA?' TOZAN SAID: 'THIS FLAX WEIGHS FIVE POUNDS.'

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho on the third day of Summer Odayaka 2021 at Chobo-Ji. This talk explores, "What is Buddha?" If we can't find Buddha's spirit in the most ordinary substance or activity, we haven't looked hard enough.

Harmony is great!But must include everything —It's the same diff'rence!* * *The second of the three main Soto Zen liturgical recitations from Ch'an Buddhism, Sekito Kisen's Sandokai — variously translated as “Identity of Relative & Absolute,” “Merging of Difference and Unity” or “Harmony of Difference and Sameness” — is mercifully brief, especially compared to Kanchi Sosan's Hsinhsinming — Trust in Mind. And while the three great masters do not simply repeat the same ideas in different terms, they are certainly pointing to the same aspects of Zen's insight into practical reality, “chopping wood and carrying water,” as the trope goes. The mendicants' dependence upon the begging bowl — as a business model for the earliest Order of monks and nuns in India — assimilated the social independence of Taoism, while fostering an interdependent connection to society more typical of Confucianism. This kind of self-sufficiency combined with social awareness is very American, if more characteristic of our grandparents' generation. The first line sets the stage for what follows:The mind of the Great Sage of India is intimately transmitted from West to EastChina is laying claim to the self-same awakening to original Mind as expressed in Buddha's awakening and its transmission to the 28 ancestors in India, culminating in Bodhidharma's bringing it to China. The operative word here is “intimately” — indicating the face-to-face transmission of master to student. While buddha-dharma may have already made its way to China in written form, the method of Zen — i.e. zazen — with its reliance on intimate, in-person training, apparently had not.While human faculties are sharp or dull, the Way has no northern or southern ancestorsA couple of Zen principles are combined here, the first being that the transmission of the Buddha Way is not dependent upon the relative intelligence, education or erudition of the individual, as it is more a natural birthright than an intellectual capacity. Huineng, sixth ancestor in China, is reputed to have been illiterate, and yet he became the founder of the so-called southern, or “sudden enlightenment” school, while his highly-educated, senior Dharma brother became the successor in the northern school, characterized as “gradual” in its process. The original Mind is present, to be uncovered, or recovered, in all human beings. This does not mean that quickness of intellect is a problem; but it is not necessarily an advantage. Huineng was quick enough. He spent only about nine months under tutelage of the fifth patriarch. But in truth, there was little or no difference between the northern and southern schools.The spiritual source shines clear in the light; the branching streams flow on in the darkShohaku Okumura Roshi in Living by Vow, and others, have commented extensively on this brief poem. The symbolism involved in opposing light and dark is surely part of the intended meaning of the great sage, but I like to think he is simultaneously pointing at direct experience, in meditation, and as a result of meditation. The spiritual source shining “clear in the light” is referenced in Buddha's own teaching, for example in the Surangama Sutra, where he goes into great detail describing the inner visions of the mind, and their implications. Branching streams here I assume to refer to the branches of Buddhism as it spread throughout China, and as a general statement that, whether in the light of day or in the darkness of ignorance, this truth is immanent, whether we know it or not.Grasping at things is surely delusionAccording with sameness is still not enlightenmentThese two statements I believe go together, the first indicating that all ordinary pursuits, such as of wealth, pleasure, or simple satisfaction — or even the pursuit of knowledge itself, through the usual means of examining the myriad things in exhaustive detail — is not the Zen way. The holistic approach of the Buddha way can include the analysis, comparison, and categorization characteristic of science, but in the end it has to pull things together in a new synthesis. The delusional extreme is to fantasize that we will reach some sort of universal truth by taking everything apart, like Tennyson's “Flower in the Crannied Wall.” Plucking things from their living matrix, pulling them apart under a microscope, will not reveal their true nature. Yet merely regarding all the many particular things as somehow being the same, under a mere appearance of difference, is still an incomplete, one-sided view. We do not assert that all is one, but as Master Sosan reminds us, “To come directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubt arises, ‘Not two.'” Master Kisen goes on to illustrate this principle in personal terms:All the objects of the senses transpose and do not transposeTransposing they are linked together not transposing each keeps its placeSights vary in quality and form sounds differ as pleasing or harshI say personal here, as he is bringing us back to our senses, literally. The objects of the senses would include the sights, sounds, and feelings we experience, along with thoughts, as the objects of the mind. If memory serves, another translation substitutes “interact” for “transpose,” which I prefer, in that it seems to more accurately capture what the great sage is pointing to. It is as if the senses overlap, as in a Venn diagram, as is experienced in extreme fashion by synesthetes, who see colors associated with hearing, and hear sounds associated with seeing. One assumes that the other senses, smell and taste, are similarly interconnected and interactive. We can all point to examples that we have experienced, including the sounds and sights of a fireworks display, which some find pleasing, where their pets find them frightening. The master repeatedly associates general principles with particular case experiences in this manner, reflecting R. Buckminster Fuller's definition of intelligence.Darkness merges refined and common wordsBrightness distinguishes clear and murky phrasesAgain, the reference to light and dark provides context for language, another contrast that Master Kisen engages repeatedly — phenomena as experienced versus principles as expressed in language. “Refined and common words” may refer to the erudite exegesis of buddhadharma, versus street language, which in the darkness of unknowable reality are merged in an equal inability to capture the truth in words, however refined. Some of the most famous expressions of Zen wisdom appear vulgar. “Brightness,” on the other hand — the direct, experiential light of wisdom, or insight — enables us to distinguish between artful and clumsy expressions, pointing at the truth that is beyond words.The four elements return to their natures just as a child turns to its motherFire heats wind moves water wets earth is solidEye and sights ear and sounds nose and smells tongue and tastesAfter contrasting the clarification that arises in meditation, and incoherent attempts to put it into words, the master turns to the functioning of insentient nature, through empirical observation and human-centered references, connecting raw elements to mother and child, as well as to the senses and their objects. The natural functioning of fire, wind, water and earth are conflated with those of eye, ear, nose and tongue, which of course manifest the four elements internally, in the form of biology. The inclusion of body and mind are assumed, as would be the other elements of space and consciousness.Thus for each and every thing according to the roots the leaves spread forthTrunk and branches share the essence; revered and common each has its speechHere the dendritic form is deployed to envision the natural growth of all systems, including those of human origin, such as the “branching streams” of Buddhism itself, or the theory of evolution. Each and every essential being stems from shared roots, variations branching from the trunk, manifesting temporarily as leaves in season. The last sentence, which seems to be a whiplash into irrelevancy, is another reminder, in case we didn't get it the first time, that language itself shares this quality. Those high holy things we hold in great reverence and those we consider common, even beneath our contempt, are rendered the same in that we alone identify them as different. Zen allows no separation of the sacred and mundane.In the light there is darkness but do not take it as darknessIn the dark there is light but do not see it as lightLight and dark oppose one another like the front and back foot in walkingReturning to the trope of light and dark, the master once again conflates direct experience and its deeper implications. I favor the direct interpretation, in that the light of daytime is floating on a deep background of the dark of outer space, and the edge of darkness starts just at the limits of our peripheral vision. In the dark of night, light is manifest as the movement of energy on the neuronal networks. As a basic binary, light is always begetting dark, and vice-versa. Can't have the one without the other. Spoiler alert: Hokyo Zammai, Precious Mirror Samadhi, touches on this idea: “In darkest night it is perfectly clear; in the light of dawn it is hidden.” Inner light is more obvious, in the absence of sunlight.Each of the myriad things has its merit expressed according to function and placeExisting phenomenally like box and cover joiningAccording with principle like arrow points meetingThese three lines seem to hang together, but cover a broad insight, in my estimation. “Each of the myriad things” covers a lot of territory, sometimes referred to as the “ten-thousand things,” meaning all of the many things in existence. “Merit” may seem an odd choice to attribute to a thing, any thing, but I think stands for the absolute noumenon, or essence of a thing, while using “function and place” to denote phenomena, the unique and irreplaceable manifestation of each being and particle in its dharma location. Merit here does not express solely the utility of an object in the context of human needs, but its place in the ecosystem, and further, its deeper implications as “Myriad objects partake of the buddha body” in Master Dogen's Jijuyu Zammai, Self-Fulfilling Samadhi. “Existing phenomenally like box and cover joining refers to those things we can understand and control to some degree, while “according with principle like arrow points meeting” represents the near-impossible, the simultaneous apprehension of both form and emptiness in each and every phenomenological instantiation of reality.Hearing the words understand the meaning; do not establish standards of your ownOnce again we are parsing the closing comments into briefer one-liners, as each is replete with its own meaning, though intimately connected to the rest. We have already heard many words, but do we really understand the meaning, or intent, of the master? If we simply force or twist the more challenging ideas into pretzels of our own preference, we may miss the meaning altogether. Listen for echoes of these tenets in Tozan's poem to come.Not understanding the Way before your eyes, how do you know the path you walk?The “Way before your eyes” reminds us of Master Sosan's “Emptiness here, emptiness there, but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes.” This is partially a critique of substituting theory or doctrine for the evidence of your own senses, I think, such as that represented by the early models of the celestial bodies with Earth at the center. We may tout the theory of emptiness as if we know what it is, and thereby discount the preponderance of evidence. If the path we walk is comprised of comforting beliefs and self-fulfilling prophecies, in spite of evidence to the contrary, it amounts to just another fantasy.Walking forward is not a matter of far or nearBut if you are confused mountains and rivers block your wayThese two lines I believe are meant to be considered together for their full import. “Walking forward” I think means to suggest real progress on the path, though there is no forward or backward to it. “Not being a matter of far or near” I take to mean that going on extensive journeys, pilgrimage, to find the truth, is a step in the wrong direction, for as Master Dogen reminds us in Fukanzazengi, Principles of Seated Meditation, “The Way is completely present where you are, so of what use is pursuing enlightenment elsewhere?” I also think it implies that that which is distant is not fundamentally different from that which is near, much like the modern astronomical view of the universe appearing the same from any vantage point. However, the very example of mountains and rivers constantly manifesting the body of Buddha and expounding the Dharma will only add to our confusion, unless and until we make the right move, which is to enter into stillness, or better yet, stillness in motion and vice-versa, mokurai.I respectfully urge you who study the mystery: do not pass your days and nights in vainZen is nothing if not respectful. As far as we know, the person we are talking to already has the Dharma, and may grasp it more deeply than we do. If nothing else, our poor words are subject to the duality of the language itself, and so may be inadvertently fostering more confusion. If you are studying the mystery with single-minded diligence and single-hearted devotion, there is nothing more you can do, and nothing more that the old man can offer, other than to encourage you to go 24/7 in your endeavor. It is not a waste of time, in fact is the best use of your time, which is all you have. Zen is not in vain.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho during the Aug, 8, 2021 Zazenkai at Chobo-Ji. This talk explores how Zen Master Unmon Bunen (Yúnmén Wényǎn) knocked hard on Tozan Shusho, which resulted in breakthrough for Tozan.

Head Trainee for the spring period at Yokoji, Deanne Shinzan Larsen, spoke on the koan, "Tozan's Illness" and engaged in Dharma Combat with the assembly (via Zoom).

Vandaag vervolg ik mijn wandeling met zenleraar Jan Klungers. Hij is verbonden aan Zen in Salland. We maken een prachtige wandeling door de Duursche Waarden, we ontdekken steeds meer vogels, gaan met gevaar voor eigen leven langs de Schotse Hooglanders en ondertussen bespreken we de lessen van zenmeester Tozan. Maar misschien wel het allerbelangrijkste is dat Jan ons leert hoe we totaal in contact met de natuur kunnen zijn. Tot slot fijne muziek van Olivier Messiaen. Heb je genoten van deze podcast en wil je iets bijdragen in de onkosten van dit liefdewerkje, ga dan naar de website van Petje af. Jouw bijdrage wordt zeer op prijs gesteld. Mailen kan naar info@marlouslazal.nl. Kijk voor mijn muziek op mijn Spotify pagina en de agenda voor de liveconcerten in juli staan binnenkort op de website marlouslazal.nl.

We should not deceive,harm or despise another —seems impossible!* * *The third section of this transcendent teaching on loving kindness returns from the prior stanza’s expansion into a universal embrace of absolutely all beings — may they be happy — to a tight focus on human nature in the social realm and then reverts to the global scale of nature. Now, we get down to the brass tacks of our daily transactional activities, while setting a very high bar for us mere human mortals:Let no one deceive anotherNor despise any being in any stateLet none by anger or hatred wish harm to anotherEven as a mother at the risk of her life watches over and protects her only childso with a boundless mind should one cherish all living thingsSuffusing love over the entire world above below and all around without limitSo let one cultivate an infinite good will toward the whole world“Let no one deceive another” launches us into the world of human ethics and morality. Unless we are talking about deceiving a nonhuman sentient being, for example by catching fish, or snaring other prey by setting traps for them. Which is intrinsically deceptive. But just taking an unvarnished look at our own relationships to others — be they loved ones, family and friends, colleagues at work, clients and customers, or so-called “constituents,” if we happen to be in politics — whom we rely upon for support, and ongoing loyalty, brings the poignancy and purpose of this message closer to home.It can be crushing to consider in how many ways we may be deceiving them, if all unintentionally. It is not necessary, and not recommended, to assume that we constantly need to admit to full disclosure, baring our misgivings and mistakes without reservation, hoping that all will still love us, warts and all. As the mother of the author of a recent book commented, paraphrasing, We would be a lot less concerned about what others think of us, if we realized how seldom they do. So yeah, we are not such an important person that we can be fully responsible for anyone else, certain exceptions noted.“Nor despise any being in any state” turns to the intersection of human and nonhuman, including stewardship of wildlife, livestock and domesticated beasts. But also the natural world of creatures that we may find repulsive, such as snakes, spiders, and such. Further, it should be apparent to anyone paying attention, that we can also come to “despise” other human beings, owing to their state of helplessness as the ever-present homeless, indigent, and all those dependent upon the kindness of strangers, or welfare, in modern parlance. Their very vulnerability places the onus on us, which comprises a big part of our resentment.Differences in the public view of mendicancy in Buddhist countries of origin, and the low regard in which so-called “bums” and “beggars” are held in contemporary societies, are stark, and telling. Not to mention their logical extensions into rampant “othering,” dehumanizing total cultures and tribes, ending in the extreme arrogance of rationalizing genocide.“Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another” is another variation on this essentially paranoid impulse, of humanity’s inhumanity to humanity. It begs the question, can we wish harm to another based on any other grounds than anger or hatred? When someone is causing great harm, is it really giving in to anger or hatred to stop them, even by means that harm them, if necessary? When is such lethal force really justifiable? This is one of the relentlessly repeating memes of contemporary society, with its ubiquitous policing organizations, enforcing relative calm, or compliance, at least, in the public square.“Even as a mother at the risk of her life, watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things” really raises the bar to near-impossible heights. How many of us can really cherish all living things, let alone put our life on the line to protect them? In the case of the mother, whether human or otherwise, it is regarded as a matter of instinct, brain-stem level, to look over and protect her offspring, at least until they can take care of themselves. And even then.But it is beyond belief to assume that it would be natural to take such an approach, and nurture such an attitude, toward the progeny of others, even of the same species. However, modern science is revealing incidents of this kind of altruistic behavior in various species, and even in cross-species situations, where the female of one species will take an infant of another under her wing, or to her teat. Cynics point out that a feline may raise a baby opossum for the express purpose of showing her kittens how to kill it, at a later date. And that male squirrels will kill their own litters. There are many such tales of what we would interpret as capricious, or even evil, behavior in the animal kingdom.However it is an existential leap to project that the behavior of a human being should be considered equivalent to that of members of other species, in that their actions may be judged based on human constructs of right and wrong, good and evil. Even for human beings, to penetrate to the bottom of things in zazen, as Master Dogen instructs in Fukanzazengi, requires that first we set aside “good and evil, right and wrong.” Further, “Thus stopping the function of your mind, give up even the idea of becoming a buddha.” Developing a worldview sans judgments of good and evil amounts to the reclamation of the fall from grace.This must be a significant part of the “boundless mind” that Buddha refers to. If we establish boundaries between those we judge unworthy of our affection — or our ability to cherish them — and those limited few who meet our parameters for including them in our warm embrace, we are the only ones setting up such barriers. And barriers have the unintended effect of closing in those who establish them, equally as much as they accomplish closing out the others they reject, even more so. If our mind becomes truly boundless, there is nothing outside it. There is no sentient being that does not rise to the level of sharing innate buddha-nature, as Master Dogen reminds us in Jijuyuzammai:Furthermore all beingsin the Ten Directions and the Six Realmsincluding the three lower realmsat once obtain pure body and mindrealize the state of great emancipationand manifest the original faceWhen we gaze into the eyes of a pet dog or cat — not so much a chicken or cow, let alone a spider, one assumes — we can’t help but notice that it is staring back at us, with a similar look of recognition. In the Hokyo Zammai, Tozan’s “Precious Mirror Samadhi,” he makes the even less obvious point that even our interface with the insentient environment is also like this: “Like facing a precious mirror, form and reflection behold each other. You are not it, but in truth it is you.” What it is that is looking at you is IT — form and reflection — the same IT that is what you are. If so even with inanimate objects (including the vegetable kingdom), how much more so with our fellow beasties of the animate variety? All are awake, to a certain degree. All manifest this “original face,” and are already emancipated, to the degree that emancipation is available.“Suffusing love over the entire world above below and all around without limit” similarly challenges us to open up our heart to embrace what is, after all, our only home. What is meant by the entire world is open to speculation as to how much they knew of the entire planet at that time in history. As are the terms “above, below and all around without limit.” We today have a prevailing notion of how big the universe is, and how small our local participation in it, though even the Earth’s orbit around the sun easily exceeds our grasp. We do not want to presume too much upon superior knowledge we may claim regarding our physical circumstances, however. However much we gain in information, and knowledge of the scope of the natural sphere, as well as the yawning maw of the universal sphere surrounding, we still have the same problem they did, when it comes to “suffusing love” over IT. If we have a difficult time loving even our own family and friends, or our lowly bad self, how can we hope to include all denizens of the planet in a loving embrace?“So let one cultivate an infinite good will toward the whole world” offers an out from the challenging idea of “love,” which we find rarely mentioned in translations of the ancient Buddhist texts. “Good will” is something we can embrace without the emotional lading. We can imagine ourselves exercising good will, even in the face of the imperfections we find, if not in the whole world, then at least in the proximate causes and conditions it is delivering to us daily.Even if I don’t love it, in this present instant, I can at least muster some good will, in that I am trying in good faith, and must assume that all of Nature is doing its level best just to be what it is. At least we can find the strength to stop short of despising the reality we confront, or deceiving ourselves, or others, as to what it honestly is. This is the challenge of Zen, and the gauntlet thrown down my the idea of loving kindness. Like compassion, loving kindness is what the universe, through Nature, is.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

Prajna means “wisdom,”Paramita, “perfecting” —“Mantra,” something else!* * *The fourth and last section of the Heart Sutra concludes on a more formal note, simply stating and re-stating the central place of the “perfecting of wisdom” in Buddhism, as the mother of all mantras:Therefore know the prajna paramitaas the great miraculous mantrathe great bright mantrathe supreme mantrathe incomparable mantrawhich removes all suffering and is true not falseFrom a quick online search, we find that the term “mantra” stems from the Sanskrit root man, literally meaning a thought, the thought behind speech or action, related to “mind,” a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. In modern parlance, it has come to indicate any statement or slogan repeated frequently. In this context, however, it takes on a transcendental, almost magical meaning. In other words, something else.This mantra is “great, miraculous, bright, supreme, and incomparable, when compared to all others. It calls to mind the line toward the end of Hsinshinming, “Trust in Mind”:No comparisons or analogies are possible in this causeless, relationless stateThis worshipful adulation begs the question: What is so great about the perfecting of wisdom? How is it miraculous? What about it is bright? Supreme? And incomparable?Of course, with the caveat that these are English translators’ choices for ancient terms in Sino-Japanese, Sanskrit or even Pali, the near-extinct language said to be spoken by Buddha himself. In his time, there may have been many such mantras chanted for their mystical powers, from other sects and religious belief systems. The Sanskrit word “dharani,” which is also sometimes used, means, according to Wikipedia:A dharani… is a Buddhist chant, mnemonic code, incantation, or recitation, usually a mantra consisting of Sanskrit or Pali phrases. Believed to be protective and with powers to generate merit for the Buddhist devotee, they constitute a major part of historic Buddhist literature. These chants have roots in Vedic Sanskrit literature…So this construction may derive from an even earlier language from the pre-Hindu period when Vedic praxis was predominant in India. Buddha is sometimes referred to as a reformer who revitalized some of the Vedic practices. In many cases he is clearly using contemporary memes and tropes of the prevailing Hindu context to broach palliative or corrective concepts that differentiate his findings from the received wisdom of the time.Attributing “incomparable” to the prajna paramita mantra is then understandable in this context. The closing line asserting that this mantra is “true not false,” amongst all the many mantras and dharanis extant at that time, clarifies the claim of its incomparability. Compared to all the others, this one “relieves all suffering,” where they may only relieve a physical or medical malady, or a particular piece of bad karma, even superstitions such as a curse. Master Dogen uses the term “spell” in his translation of Hannya Haramitsu, which indicates the relatively magical and mystical nature he attributed to its meaning of the last stanza:Therefore we proclaim the prajna paramita mantrathe mantra that says“Gate Gate Paragate Parasam Gate Bodhi Svaha”The untranslated mantra is presented in the original language, or in phonetic form rather than translated, as the very sounds are considered to have this power of transformation. Dharani has the connotation of a vessel, or container, that can carry us to the other shore of Nirvana, over the ocean of Samsara, floating on the raft of the Buddha’s teachings. But Master Dogen makes the point that actually, we do not go to the other shore; the other shore comes to us. Our charge in Zen is to realize no separation of Samsara and Nirvana. Samsara is ordinary, everyday life, with all its homeliness and suffering. Nirvana is regarded as complete liberation. But it is not imagined as being another realm, another dimension or universe. There is only one place, just as there is only one practice, in Zen.This mantra, the perfecting of wisdom, is like the open-ended vow to “save all others,” or better, to help all others save themselves, the Bodhisattva Vow. It is said that when we really take this vow to heart, endless rebirth opens up before us. How many beings are there? How long is it going to take? Where do we start? These are the questions begged by a literal interpretation of the vow. The Bodhisattva path of Zen is one of action.When asked about “engaged Zen,” Matsuoka Roshi would assume the zazen posture, declaring, “This is the most you can do.” The most we can do for someone else is to share the buddhadharma, no matter how inadequate our own grasp may be. While we do not proselytize, when people come to Zen to learn about it, we share the dharma primarily by teaching Zen’s method of manifesting and understanding it. Much like teaching music, dance, or art, what can be taught is the method. A talented teacher can walk us through the basics of playing an instrument, but they cannot teach us music, or for that matter any of the arts and sciences. The realization of art or scientific insight comes about as a natural turning point, usually only after a great deal of repetition in training.It is worth touching on some of the living ancestors cited in the Bussorai, the “names of the Buddhas and Ancestors,” who protected and nurtured this face-to-face teacher-student transmission, and kept it intact, down to us today:Shiki Butsu DaioshoBishafu Butsu DaioshoKuruson Butsu DaioshoKunagonmuni Butsu DaioshoKashô Butsu Daiosho“Butsu” means “Buddha” or fully enlightened one, and “Daiosho” means great and authentic. After these five prehistoric Buddhas, we come to the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, “Sage of the Shakya clan,” from some 2,500 years ago. He had no teacher in recorded history, though the tradition is that he practiced with the prehistoric Buddhas. Hence, as the founder or historical discoverer of this insight, Buddha is not counted as an ancestor in the enumerated lineage. It begins with his immediate successor, Mahakasyapa, here rendered in the Japanese pronunciation:Shakamuni Butsu Daiosho1. Makakashô Daiosho2. Ananda DaioshoNote that Buddha’s successors, beginning with Mahakasyapa and including Ananda — who may be more familiar to you, as Buddha’s interlocutor in some important sutras — are not referred to as “butsu,” but only “daiosho.” Halfway through the Indian transmission we find Nagarjuna, number 14 from Buddha, here with the longer pronunciation:14. Nagyaharajuna DaioshoPrecisely 14 ancestors later, the famous Bodhidharma, the 28th ancestor who is credited with bringing the direct practice of zazen to China, where it became known as Ch’an Buddhism, again in Japanese pronunciation:28. Bodaidaruma Daiosho29. Taiso Eka Daiosho30. Kanchi Sôsan DaioshoKanchi Sosan, 30th in line, perhaps better known in Chinese pronunciation, Sengcan, is the author of Hsinhsinming, “Trust in Mind,” the first piece of liturgy from China in the Soto Zen Service. Following in short order we find:33. Daikan Enô Daiosho34. Seigen Gyôshi Daiosho35. Sekitô Kisen DaioshoNumber 33, Daikan Eno, otherwise known as Huineng, is perhaps the most famous of the Chinese lineage, the founder of the so-called “sudden” school, based on his awakening experience without benefit of a teacher or any formal training, the only individual in history like Buddha in this regard. His teaching, the “Platform Sutra,” uniquely amongst the ancestors, is referred to as “sutra,” owing to this anomaly. Number 35, Sekito Kisen, is the author of the second Ch’an poem chanted in Soto liturgy, namely Sandokai, “Harmony of Sameness and Difference.” A few generation or so later, we find:38. Tôzan Ryôkai Daiosho“Tozan” is the “To” in Soto Zen, credited with its founding in China, along with one of his students, Sozan, the “So,” though Ungo Doyo is listed in our lineage as his successor. Tozan, more commonly known as Dongshan, is the author of the third and final Ch’an poem chanted in the Soto liturgy, Hokyo Zammai, “Precious Mirror Samadhi.” Now we jump a few generations to the end of our Soto lineage in China, with:50. Tendô Nyojô Daiosho51. Eihei Dôgen DaioshoHere we find, in 51st and 50th place, respectively, Eihei Dogen, founder of Soto Zen in Japan, and his teacher, Tendo Nyojo, also known as Rujing. It should also be pointed out that Master Dogen, in Japanese rendered as Dogen Zenji, had a double lineage, first from Rinzai in Japan, as well as later in China from Soto. On the silk certificate called the “bloodline,” or ketchimyaku, that we copy as part of the transmission ceremony, the Rinzai ancestry is listed down one side, the Soto down the opposite side, coming back together in Dogen Zenji’s name. And thus, so do we share Rinzai ancestry, along with Soto. It is in our Zen DNA. In many modern cases the lineages were mixed, and today several American Zen priests are direct dharma heirs of both Rinzai and Soto teachers.As we proceed from ancient history to more modern times, we are the beneficiaries of an accumulation of available teachings from these masters. Master Dogen was not the most prolific writer of his time, but he is the most highly regarded, now considered the “greatest thinker” in the history of Japan. Which is ironic, as he emphasized “non-thinking” And he left his students and Zen followers of today a veritable treasure trove in his Shobogenzo, “Treasury of the True Dharma Eye.” Then into the transmission in Japan we find:52. Koun Ejô Daiosho53. Tettsû Gikai Daiosho54. Keizan Jôkin Daiosho55. Gasan Jôseki Daiosho(55. Meiho Sotetsu Daiosho)Koun Ejo at #52 was Dogen’s immediate successor, who apparently devoted most of his career to collecting and codifying his teacher’s prolific literary and spoken output, much as I have done, with a little help from my friends, for Matsuoka Roshi’s literate legacy.At number 54, we find Keizan Zenji, who, a few generations after Dogen Zenji, spread his teachings widely throughout Japan, and is credited with the establishment of many Soto Zen monasteries. He is sometimes referred to as the “mother” of Soto Zen in Japan, while Dogen is referred to as the “father.”After Keizan, the lineages split into many, as he had many successors, or dharma heirs. The first number 55 is Gasan Joseki Zenji, in Matsuoka Roshi’s lineage. He would be considered Sensei’s dharma grandfather, which makes Keizan his great-grandfather. This is where the lineage becomes shockingly present, nearer to our times than we imagined.In the Kodo Sawaki lineage, which we also share, owing to my transmission from Shohaku Okumura Roshi, Meiho Sotetsu Zenji, in parentheses at number 55, would then be the dharma grandfather of Okumura Roshi’s dharma father, Uchiyama Roshi. With Keizan Zenji being the common link to the ancients, between our two lineages.Nearly 40 names after Dogen, at number 88, we find Zengaku Soyu Daiosho, Sensei’s dharma names. The first name, Soyu, is given at initiation, in Japanese jukai. The second, or gago name, comes with a later ceremony on the formal path, in the Matsuoka lineage. In other lineages, both names are given at the initial ceremony. Zengaku means Zen mountain, I am told, and Soyu is Sino-Japanese for one of the Ten Epithets of the Buddha, meaning something like “controller of men,” or “one who is infallible in controlling men’s minds.” At number 87, we find Sensei’s father’s name:87. Bukkai Sentoyu Daiosho88. Zengaku Sôyû Daiosho (3x)In chanting the Bussorai, it is customary to chant your teacher’s name three times at the end. We also ring bells with select outstanding names in the lineage, and sometimes with each name, making a bow with each bell.On my certificates, my name follows Sensei’s; in the Sawaki lineage if follows Okumura Roshi’s; and my students’ names, one at a time, follow mine, so my dharma heirs, four to date, are all in the 90th generation. A connection between the two lineages we found on our latest journey to Japan is that Matsuoka Roshi would have been at Komazawa University at the same time that Kodo Sawaki Roshi was a professor there. They would have practiced zazen together in the same zendo we sat in.All this recitation of the ancestors’ names may have the unintended consequence of seeming to imply that I, your humble instructor, may have let this go to my head. I harbor no delusions of grandeur regarding this heritage, I assure you. In fact, it is humbling to even consider the magnitude of the effort of these 90 or so overlapping lives in transmitting the practice of Zen over so many centuries, and through so many countries and cultures. It could not have been easy. If you do the math, 2,500 years divided by 90 names, you get an average span of about 28 years, over a quarter of a century that it took for one teacher to hand this off to a student worthy of being a successor, to which the former entrusted the latter.The meditation that our teachers have handed down to us for 88 generations, in a relatively unbroken, face-to-face transmission, is like this. This prajna paramita cannot be taught directly, but may be said to be the “what” of what has been transmitted through zazen, beginning long ago in the forgotten fog of prehistory.I feel fortunate to find myself in a country where there is only about 100 years of Zen to date. Some wag said the first 50 to 100 years are the hardest. But I cannot imagine living in Japan, Korea, China or India, as a representative of Buddhism or Zen, with all the weight of that tradition on my shoulders. Better to be in America, where there can be little to no expectations of what level of performance I should live up to. We cannot side-step the responsibility of the legacy and lineage that we carry, but it is a light burden.We do not disregard the vast scope of the undertaking with a facile, self-serving interpretation. Nor do we throw our hands up, in despair. Instead, we accept the impossibility of the situation, and get on with it. We may not be able to save all beings, but we can at least try to do our best, in all humility.We do not expect of ourselves — and our ancestors would not have expected of us — a faultless execution of our charge. As Master Dogen said, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” I will leave to you to meditate upon why he did not say “get up seven.” He also is said to have remarked that the Zen life is just one long mistake. We cannot succeed in Zen or any other endeavor, without permission to fail. At least, that is my story and I am sticking to it.* * *Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Kyōsaku Jon Mitchell

In this Teisho, given on December 13, 2020, Rinzan Pechovnik Osho examines "The Blue Cliff Record, Case 12: Tozan's "Masagin." Our relative mind tends to see things as objects. In practice, we increase our intimacy to see beyond the utility of a thing into its deep nature. What is it when the everyday things of our lives speak to us?

Season 3 Episode 43 - Strongholds and Followers: Due to microphone botches we lost an episode!  Sorry about that.  I blame 2020 for the sound recording rolling a 1. So this is a recap of the lost episode and some inventory management then we’re off to the wild! Gwen’s historical knowledge of the area pays dividends. Sheol screams at the woods. Rhys handles it… poorly. Nicolai follows suit. We live up to our name and then some!Join us @botchaholics on twitter, tumblr, gmail, facebook, itunes, etc! or botchaholics@gmail.com Theme song Blackmoor Tides CC4 by https://MathewPablo.com. Background music CC0 found on OpenGameArt: The Promise - Indieteur, Piano Emotional Solo 139 - Tozan, Wooden Inn - IndieteurShoutouts to @StarcalledStudi, @TheFirstTimeDM and @daughterdungeon on twitter. This night, I drank Hops and Robbers IPA!  Talk at you next time!

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho during the first day of Chobo-Ji's Dec. Odayaka. This talk explores Case 98 of The Book of Equanimity and examines Zen Master Tozan's essential teaching – Take Heed.

Oz Tozan seems like a run of the mill dude. However, he is anything BUT run of the mill. Oz's life has lead him on quite the journey. From being homeless in California, to being signed by one of LA's top modeling agencies. That party life caught up fast though. After only 2 years in California, he came back to Rochester, NY. It's here that he found himself again. Finding his purpose. Being a promoter isn't something he grew up wanting to do, but when he started as a kid handing out flyers to other kids for 18 under nights at local clubs, he began making money. And having fun. Money and fun are always a good combination. In being a promoter, he's not only found his passion, he's found a way to support his son through life. Oz loves his son. He's his world. He's very candid about that responsibility and understands that staying sober and focusing on the right things in life, leads to much bigger and better things. Find Oz here - Oz's Facebook Oz's Instagram Profile Vibe Tribe Radio "CITY" - The Movie Oz was a part of Visit us on our website today! https://www.hwhpodcast.com Listen Here on your Podcast App! - https://link.chtbl.com/Listen (If you feel inclined, please leave us a Rating/Review) Follow on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/hellboundwithhalos/ Follow on Twitter- https://twitter.com/Hellbound_Halos Follow on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/hwhpodcast/

"Understanding the true specialness of everything is a rare and wonderful thing. Apparently it takes a lot of practice to realize "just this" for what it really is.And for all of us who aren't there yet, we have words and teachers there to join us in our delusions long enough to help us figure it out, even while they know there's nothing they can do to help us.And that's very kind of them." - Dave CuomoIn an epic clash of conflicted compassion, Dave introduces us to the founders of our two main surviving branches of Zen, Rinzai & Tozan (of Soto fame), as these two teachers teach the exact same nothing, in exactly opposite ways. Madcap koans, shocking speeches, & beautiful poetry ensue!

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho on the 2nd day of Autumn 2020 Odayaka Sesshin at Chobo-Ji. This talk explores Case 94 of The Book of Equanimity and examines can we serve others even when close to death?

Season 3 Episode 37 - Kassu: After weighing our various options we set off once more. We save a cat. It’s our greatest achievement to date! Heading down into the catacombs of J'bumvi we plot the utter decimation of some undead sentries.Join us @botchaholics on twitter, tumblr, gmail, facebook, itunes, etc! or botchaholics@gmail.com Theme song Blackmoor Tides CC4 by MathewPablo.com. Background music CC0 found on OpenGameArt: Orechstring by Tozan, jazz by Alex McCulloch and fuguiyolo by cinamengShoutout to @jamesintrocaso on twitter!  Also, thanks to @spellbound_blue for our artwork.  We got some and we love it!  Talk at you next time!

Season 3 Episode 35 - Dragon Tinder: The worm problem is solved but now we have ANOTHER bonkers dragon in our face! Later, we head off in a front-leftern direction. There’s wailing ladies and skellies milling about in Pegasus Bark and I guess it’s up to us to sort it all out!Join us @botchaholics on twitter, tumblr, gmail, facebook, itunes, etc! or botchaholics@gmail.com Theme song Blackmoor Tides CC4 by MathewPablo.com. Background music CC0 found on OpenGameArt: Osare by Brandon Morris and Orchestring by TozanShoutout to @beastlandz and @dicecreamsammie on twitter!  Talk at you next time!

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho during the Aug 2020 Odayaka Sesshin at Chobo-Ji. This talk explores Case 89 of The Book of Equanimity and examines what do we do with our endless delusions.

Oz Tozan is a man with many hats. He's an Actor, a long time club promoter and Host of Rochester Free Radio WRFZ 106.3. We discuss how he got into club promotions at a young age and how he fell on hard times. He used that time to map out his life and now he has accomplished so much in a small amount of time. He brings a lot of energy to this episode and gives us a glimpse of how unbreakable his mindset really is. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/asylum-podcast/message

“Zen is a template for letting go …” Description: This talk revisits the three bodies of Buddha and maps them onto the various approaches to Zen practice, including mindfulness. The Dharma-body is the subject of every koan; each one communicates the true fact of existence. Tôzan’s answer to the monk’s question in Case 98 does […]

“… the single, infinite, empty fact that is always, powerfully, right here, now …” I am always most intimate with it. ~Tôzan Description: This talk begins by addressing the difference between concentration leading to emptiness practice, and mindfulness meditation. In Case 98, a monk asks Tôzan about the three bodies of Buddha. Tôzan’s beautiful, nonconceptual […]

Season 3 Episode 24 - The Dice Man: Rhys’ life is pain! Gwen looks at doors! Nikolai hobnobs! Charles contends with a pencil! The Editor cuts out A LOT of tangents for the goof roll!Join us @botchaholics on twitter, tumblr, gmail, facebook, itunes, etc! or botchaholics@gmail.com Theme song Blackmoor Tides CC4 by MathewPablo.com. Background music CC0 found on OpenGameArt: Flight by wipics, Sleepy Clouds by Fupi and Piano Emotional Solo 139 by TozanShoutout to 6ysx on tumblr!  Talk at you next time!

Zachary discusses important features of the mental landscape that are revealed through zazen and how they relate to our everyday lives. He explores two major modes of being - normally translated as “the relative” and “the absolute” - that become apparent when we sit, and talks about how to talk about the relationship(s) between them. There are a number of texts from the ancient literature, notably the Sandokai and Tozan's 5 Ranks, that explore this relationship and how it develops with practice. Zachary speaks, in concrete terms, about how these modes of being show up in zazen and why they're of interest. 正中偏三更初夜月明前莫怪相逢不相识隐隐犹怀旧日嫌偏中正失晓老婆逢古镜分明觌面别无真休更迷头犹认影正中來无中有路出尘埃但能不触当今讳也胜前朝断舌才偏中至两刃交锋不须避好手犹如火里莲宛然自有冲天志兼中到不落有无谁敢和人人尽欲出常流折合还归炭里坐Zachary's Translation:The Crooked in the Straight Around Midnight, before moonrise on that first nightNo wonder you don't know it when you see itYou're still reminiscing on your sketchy pastThe Straight in the CrookedRising late, she stumbles across an old mirrorShe clearly meets herself face-to-face - no separation But still mistakes her reflection for her headStraight On Through Within nothingness is a road out of the dustIf you just avoid the obvious faux pasYou'll surpass the past masters who left everyone speechlessArriving at the CrookedThere's no need to shrink from sharp confrontationAn adept is like a lotus in the land of fireAs though you can soar at willArriving at BothIf you don't fall into “is” or “is not”, who dares to chime in?Everyone wants to be extraordinaryAll the same, you come home and sit by the hearth.

Season 3 Episode 16 - Growe Beknown: We get to the drow city and meet it’s important movers and shakers! No one is able to pronounce anything! Then we learn the history of the mysterious Fernando.Join us @botchaholics on twitter, tumblr, gmail, facebook, itunes, etc! or botchaholics@gmail.comTheme song Blackmoor Tides CC4 by MathewPablo.com. Background music CC0 found on OpenGameArt: Komiku - Something to Save, Komiku - Time, Tozan - manaosdrone1, Komiku - La Citadelle, isaiah658 - Heavenly LoopShout outs to @howtogm on twitter and MonarchsFactory on YouTube.  Thanks for checking us out and liking our links!  Talk at you next time!

“The real journey begins when you sit down.” Description: This is the third talk of the 2018 Rohatsu sesshin. Case 89 takes place in a monastery at the end of a three-month summer practice period. Master Tôzan instructs the monks to “go directly to the place of no grass over ten thousand miles.” Where is […]

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho during the May 2019 half-day sit (zazenkai) at Chobo-Ji. This talk examines how we try to point at the ineffable. What does it mean to experience "Just This?"

Verzen uit de "Hokyo Zanmai" ("De samadhi van de kostbare spiegel" van meester Tozan, China - 9e eeuw) die in dit deel besproken worden: "Het is als een pasgeboren baby Voorzien van de vijf skanda's. Komend noch gaand. Verschijnend noch blijvend. Hij zegt: baba wawa. Zegt dat iets of zegt dat niets? Uiteindelijk niets, want de woorden zijn niet juist."

Rochester based promoter Oz Tozan joins Brian for a conversation on life, Rochester, travel and healthy living. Oz has a creative mind which is utilized at One Night Club Rochester as well as on several shows with Rochester Free Radio, 106.3. He is the co-host of Beyond The Pole radio show with previous guest Katrina Lee.

In diesem Aspekt des erwachten Lebens geht es um die Integration. Es geht hier um das Leben innerhalb der Welt der Differenz, in voller Geistesgegenwart und gleichzeitig in Verbindung mit dem größeren Ganzen, d.h. mit ganzem Mitgefühl. In einer harmonischen Verbindung von 'hen' und 'sho', von phänomenaler Welt und Absolutem, leben wir dann in einem Zustand von Güte und Gleichmut. Wir freuen uns sehr über eine Spende, um die Kosten für die Erstellung dieses Podcast zu decken. Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website http://choka-sangha.de/kontakt/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

Im vierten Stand von Tozans fünf Ständen geht es um das Thema des souveränen Umgangs mit dieser Welt der Differenz aus der Erfahrung des Absoluten und der Einheit heraus. Hier geht es um die volle Geistesgegenwart und das Meistern der Umstände. Dabei geht es auch um ein sinnvolles Anwenden von Mitgefühl von Weisheit, ganz konkret im partnerschaftlichen wertschätzenden Umgang mit der Welt. Wir freuen uns sehr über eine Spende, um die Kosten für die Erstellung dieses Podcast zu decken. Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website http://choka-sangha.de/kontakt/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

In diesem Aspekt des erwachten Lebens wird die Beziehung des Handelnden – des Übenden – zum Wirklichen/Absoluten zum Ausgangspunkt gemacht. Unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Go-I spielt das Absolute, die Wirklichkeit der Einheit und Verbindung die Hauptrolle – auch und gerade in diesem "diesseitigen" Leben. Um diesen Kontakt aber auch im alltäglichen Leben zu halten, üben wir. Dieser Kontakt kann aber nur über die eigene und ganz persönliche Erfahrung vermittelt werden, irgendwelche objektivistischen Kriterien greifen hier nicht. Eine Möglichkeit diesen Aspekt zu manifestieren, besteht darin, die Sprache des Erwachens anzuwenden. Es geht dann darum, die Wirklichkeit von 'sho', dem Absoluten, zu sehen und daraus kommend, positiv zu handeln.Wir freuen uns sehr über eine Spende, um die Kosten für die Erstellung dieses Podcast zu decken. Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website http://choka-sangha.de/kontakt/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

Im zweiten Stand, "Das Aufrechte in der Neige" wird das thematisiert, was vom Absoluten, von 'sho', in uns hineinragt, und mit dem wir dann in Resonanz kommen. Es geht dabei darum, das So-Sein anschauen zu können, ohne es persönlich nehmen zu müssen. Die Leerheits-Erfahrung wird in die Welt der Gegenstände mitgenommen. Obwohl wir die Handelnden sind, halten wir uns dann nicht mit einer Identifikation auf. Im zweiten Stand der Go-I ist 'sho', das Absolute, hintergründig anwesend und wirksam, während sich vordergründig die Erscheinungen zeigen. Wir freuen uns sehr über eine Spende, um die Kosten für die Erstellung dieses Podcast zu decken. Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website http://choka-sangha.de/kontakt/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

Im ersten Stand, "Im Aufrechten die Neige" (Sh. Hisamatsu), zeigt sich die Wesensgleichheit aller Erscheinungen. Das geschieht zunächst in der Versenkung, im absoluten Samadhi. Hier KANN sich unser Bewusstsein transformieren indem wir der Wesensgleichheit aller Wesen gewahr werden. Wir bewegen uns dann, ohne konkrete Absicht, in einem Resonanzraum mit dem größeren Ganzen. In der Erfahrung von 'sho', dem Absoluten, können wir dann nicht mehr die äußeren Phänomene als von uns getrennt betrachten. Wir freuen uns sehr über eine Spende, um die Kosten für die Erstellung dieses Podcast zu decken. Sie finden die Kontodaten/Paypal auf unserer Website http://choka-sangha.de/kontakt/spenden/ Herzlichen Dank

Verzen uit de "Hokyo Zanmai" ("De samadhi van de kostbare spiegel" van meester Tozan, China - 9e eeuw) die in dit deel besproken worden: "Al behoort het niet tot de samsara is het niet zonder woorden. Het is als kijken in de kostbare spiegel vorm en reflectie kijken elkaar aan. Je bent haar niet. Maar die reflectie ben jij." Credit image: TV-Buddha (1974) van Nam June Paik

Verzen uit de "Hokyo Zanmai" ("De samadhi van de kostbare spiegel" van meester Tozan, China - 9e eeuw) die in dit deel besproken worden: "In het duister van de nacht is het helemaal helder, in het licht van de dag is het verborgen. Het is de wet die alles beregelt, gebruik het om alle lijden te ontwortelen." Credit image: Léon Spilliaert, Plage au clair de lune (1946)

Vers in dit deel: "Als je het wilt uitdrukken met fraai gevormde woorden en zinnen is dat hetzelfde als het besmeuren met modder." Om meester Tozan beter te begrijpen, maken we een omweg via René Magritte en zijn "la trahison des images".

6.7.2015 Jenseits von „Hitze und Kälte“ Hekiganroku, Beispiel 43 Ein Mönch fragte Tozan: „Kälte und Hitze überfallen uns. Wie können wir ihnen entgehen?“ Tozan sagte: „Geh' dorthin, wo es weder Hitze noch Kälte gibt!“ Der Mönch fragte: „Wo ist aber dieser Ort, wo es weder Hitze noch Kälte gibt?“ Tozan antwortete: „Wenn es kalt ist, friere so, dass es dich vollständig tötet, wenn es heiß ist, lass dich von der Hitze zu Tode kochen!“ Auf dieses Koan wurde vom japanischen Zen-Meister Kaisen Joki angespielt, als er in seinem brennenden Kloster dem Tod entgegensah. Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts wurde der Zen-Tempel „Erinji“ mitsamt den Mönchen darin vom machtgierigen General Nobunaga niedergebrannt, weil die Mönche einen Gegner des Generals beerdigt hatten. Wie es heißt, starb der Zen-Meister Kaisen Joki (1500 – 1582) in den Flammen, indem er aus dem Hekiganroku zitierte und seinen Mönchen sagte, wer im tiefen Samadhi verweile, für den wehe auch im Feuer noch eine kühle Brise. In den Flammen, auf dem Scheiterhaufen, starb auch, heute vor 600 Jahren, der christlicher Theologe und Reformator Jan Hus (1369 - 1415), der, 100 Jahre vor Luther, die nach ihm benannte Bewegung der Hussiten auslöste. Jan Hus, so Christoph Hatlapa, trat für die Gewissensfreiheit und für den Dienst an der Wahrheit ein und stand auch - bis zum Schluß - zu seinem Wort. Und auch in unserem Leben können wir vor Situationen gestellt werden, wo wir vor der Frage stehen, ob wir bei unserer Wahrheit bleiben können, auch wenn es brenzlig wird... Die Frage, wie wir selber mit unseren ethischen Grundsätzen umgehen, kann etwa dann akut werden, wenn wir mit ungerechtfertigten Vorurteilen gegen uns konfrontiert werden und deswegen auch mit sehr unangenehmen Konsequenzen rechnen müssen. Dann stellt sich die Frage, ob wir mit dem Ort „in uns“, mit unserer inneren Wahrheit, verbunden sind, die uns durch die Anfeindungen und das „Feuer“ hindurch tragen kann. Und manchmal, so Christoph Hatlapa, hilft es ja wirklich, wenn es heiß wird und wir glauben, es wird unerträglich, dass wir dann „an diesen Ort gehen, wo Hitze und Kälte nicht mehr den Geist beherrschen“.

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho on May 35th, 2014 at Chobo-Ji.  This talk explores Case 18 of the Mumonkan, where Zen Master Tozan is asked: "What is Buddha?" Genjo explores the three Zen perspectives of Relative, Absolute and Transcendent.

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho on May 11th, 2014 at Chobo-Ji.  This talk explores Case 15 of the Mumonkan, where Tozan gets 60 blows from Unmon. Genjo explores Tozan's dark night of the soul and Unmon's grandmotherly kindness.

Dogen writes these few verses: In the stream Rushing past to the dusty world my fleeting form casts no reflection Echoing a distant poem of Tozan in the Jewel Mirror Samadhi: it is like looking into a precious mirror form and image behold each other You are not it, it is you Visit the forum thread here!

La música zapoteca serrana se ha caracterizado por exaltar la destreza de los intérpretes en las grandes bandas filarmónicas. Aunque las piezas cantadas no han figurado como la principal forma de expresión musical -a diferencia de otras regiones de la Nación Zapoteca- he aquí una muestra.

This Dharma Talk was given at halfday sesshin on May 18 at the Seattle Zen Temple Chobo Ji. It includes an introduction to the Five Ranks of Tozan.

This Dharma Talk on Case 45 of the Mumokan (Gateless Gate) about Master Hoen of Tozan who said Shakyamuni and Maitreya are but his servants. Now tell me who is he given by Genjo Marinello Osho at the Chobo Ji Zen temple in Seattle WA.