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Treeleaf Zen

Before we sit, I talk about some things coming up on the “Sit-a-Long” … Next week, I’ll be looking at the “Eight Types of Enlightenment” and this article {PDF}: DOWNLOAD Press on arrow for ‘play’NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE HERE

A rice farmer near Treeleaf said I could film him today, planting each sprig of rice by hand. Time passes … Things grow … This world feeds and nurtures us … I feel tremendous gratitude. Press on arrow for ‘play’NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE…

Today, sitting under our town’s landmark rocketship (Tsukuba is home to Japan’s space program), I’ll take on questions like these: How would a sentient “blob” creature from another world manage the Full Lotus posture? Is planetary defense against invading Venusians a violation of the Precepts? What was Dogen’s real opinion on ‘Worm Hole’ travel? ……

Today we conclude our discussion of Genjo Koan _________________________ Mayu, Zen master Baoche, was fanning himself. A monk approached and said, “Master, the nature of wind is permanent and there is no place it does not reach. Why, then, do you fan yourself?”“Although you understand that the nature of the wind is permanent,” Mayu replied,…

A quiet sitting today .. the image on screen is our ‘tsukubai’ at treeleaf,a kind of traditional basin in the garden Press on arrow for ‘play’NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE HERE

Welcome to our Saturday “Live from Treeleaf” Zazen, but, unfortunately, somebody (me!) forgot to turn the microphone on… So, you can either watch silently (below) or, I suggest, sit again with our Saturday sitting from last week: LAST WEEK’s SITTING We start with 3 floor prostrations (or deep Gassho), then chant Heart Sutra in JAPANESE…

I thought to let our fallen tree do the teaching again … Press on arrow for ‘play’NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE HERE

Treeleaf lost another tree, an about 50 year old Japanese ‘Matsu’ pinethat someone had been shaping and tendingall its lifelike a sculpture. It is the second one cut down this year,a victim of hungry pine beetles.Here are two recent photos,including me sitting under itjust a few weeks ago. Such is life. Press on arrow for…

Today, I am joined for a quiet sitting by my mother-in law. Even Buddha had a mother-in-law. Her name was Pamitā, a sister of the Buddha’s father, King Suddhodana (making Buddha’s wife his cousin … but that’s how they did things back then. Anyway, the Buddha wasn’t “Buddha” yet). That must be her, somewhere in…

Buddha is calling … Press on arrow for ‘play’NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE HERE
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