An old man is sitting opposite me. He smells rather. The passengers next to me change their seats. I deliberately remain seated. The man drinks from a bottle of high proof liquor and offers me a sip. I decline politely. It is obvious: the man is lonely and is looking …
Read More...[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
The meaning of this hit is: becoming tight is becoming loose; becoming loose is becoming tight. The Heart Sutra says, ?Form …
Read More...[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Appearing is disappearing.
Disappearing is appearing.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]…
Read More...Coming empty-handed is going empty-handed. Going empty-handed is coming empty-handed.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Originally — no coming, no going.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Coming empty-handed is coming …
Read More...Excerpted from a workshop at the Whole World is a Single Flower Conference
Zen Master Soeng Hyang: It’s great that so many people came for the kong-an discussion. For me, kong-ans are the root of our practice. Kong-ans are like receiving a gift. There’s the package: it’s beautifully wrapped, there’s …
Read More...Transmission is no transmission. No transmission is transmission.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Originally, nothing. What is transmission?
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Sky is blue; trees are green. Transmission …
Read More...Question: If you see a lot of blame in your life and very little praise, and you feel a lot of pain and very little pleasure, and you hang on to this then you suffer a lot. So you always say put it all down. I ask you: What is …
Read More...[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
The whole world is suffering. Sickness and death everywhere. For what purpose do we come into this world? Only to suffer?
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
No world, no coming, no going, no suffering, no …
Read More...A New Translation of the Hsin Hsin Ming, the classic poem by the Third Patriarch of Zen, Seng T’san
Zen Master Hae Kwang
The Great Way is not difficult,
Just don’t pick and choose.
If you cut off all likes or dislikes
Everything is clear like space.
Make the slightest …
Read More...The Buddha taught about the three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. But in one of his teachings he said that of these three Sangha is the most important. They all seem important and completely interconnected: When we look deeply into one of these we find the others. Why would he …
Read More...From a talk given at the Cambridge Zen Center, 1993
Zen means understanding myself. What am I? What is a human being’s job on this Earth? Why do we eat every day? An old Chinese poem says, “Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed.” Then why are there so many problems in the …
Read More...Life is like a cloud that appears.
Lifts stick, hits table
Death is like a cloud that disappears.
No life, no death.
No appearing, no disappearing.
Lifts stick, hits table
Katz!
Just now, breathing in and breathing out.
Twenty years ago I first heard the teaching …
Read More...Adapted from comments made following a talk at Providence Zen Center in December, 1989.
The Hua Yen Sutra, that the last speaker talked about, like other sutras, is a collection of teaching techniques that the Buddha used. When Paul finished his introductory remarks he hit the floor and said, “Wall …
Read More...Dharma Talk given at the Providence Zen Center Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Ceremony on December 5, 1981
Thank you all for coming. I’m very happy to be here. The only trouble with these ceremonies is when you have to give a talk. Otherwise they are very easy.
In the hall outside, …
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