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Treeleaf Zen

.One might think that, in attaining the realization that he attained in China, Master Dogen would drop all thought of ambition, goals, something he needed to achieve in life. However, as the below section of Bendowa shows, he sure came back to Japan with some great ambitions to teach and spread the Dharma.  How can…

Hi, Please join our MARCH MONTHLY 4-hour ‘Live from Treeleaf’ ZAZENKAI, recorded in “real time” and available at the following link: ZAZENKAI Remember, when we drop all thought of ‘here’ ‘there’ ‘now’ and ‘then’ … we are sitting all together! Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the ‘Heart Sutra‘ and the ‘Identity of Relative and…

. In today’s Bendowa, Master Dogen voyages to China (not a simple journey in the 13th century) searching for Truth … What did he gain while there? Soon after his return he was asked this very question. He responded … I have come back empty-handed. I have realized only that the eyes are horizontal and…

There will be no video today for technical reasons (rather stressful!), so I would like to post a little essay I wrote that continues our theme from last week … on how “Zen teachers” sometimes get out on the wrong side of the bed too … _____________________ I am never one to say to folks…

In today’s Bendowa, Master Dogen recounts the story of his travels to China, searching for Truth … First, his years of study with Rinzai Zen Master Myozen, before heading to China and beginning the Soto Zen path. What is the difference between “Rinzai” and “Soto”?  Well, there are many differences in methods and approaches. But…

The “slogan” of our Sangha is Life is our Temple. I truly believe that, perhaps for the first time in history, it is more fruitful for us to practice and learn Buddhism outside of a monastery than inside. In the past, one had to go to a monastery to access Buddhist writings, teachers and a…

Well, today’s sitting won’t be too quiet. In fact, its pretty crazy and noisy. My wife is away for the day, so I am watching our son Leon. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get a bit of sitting in  …. baby-sitting-sitting. In fact, while it is usually our practice to sit in a quiet…

WARNING: THE SIGNAL FOR TODAY’S NETCAST CUTS OUT MIDWAY THROUGHZAZEN. SO, PLEASE KEEP GOIN’ ON YOUR OWN TODAY (SITTING TIME: 40 MINUTES),FOLLOWED BY KINHIN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT & FOUR VOWS Please join our weekly “Live from Treeleaf” Zazenkai meditation … We start with 3 floor prostrations (or deep Gassho), then chant the Heart Sutra in…

. it is snowing two poems by dogen zenji about the snow … about sameness and difference … A snowy heron on the snowfield where winter grass is unseen hides itself in its own figure. Snow is falling far and wide, Each snowflake neither the very same nor completely different than the other ones; Singing…

We abandon all need for life to be as we would make it … we drop allthoughts of purpose, goal, attainment and meaning … we strip ourselves naked and jumpinto a river, abandoning all demands that the river carry us where wewish. We cease all struggles, judgments and insistences, casting out our arms andfloating ……
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