Beyond You
ACZC Happenings, 12/10 - 12/16
“For me, the best Zen Master is a dead Zen Master.
It’s really healthy for us to venerate and revere these figures. It just doesn’t seem all that healthy for a human to actually sit in that role.” - Dave Cuomo
ZEN CENTER HAPPENINGS - WEEK OF 12/10 - 12/17
Hello Sangha!
Once upon a time, a monk named Gone Beyond Wisdom asked Fayan, “What’s a Buddha?” And Fayan said, “You are, Wisdom.”
It was a solid pun, and a nice thing to say right then, and we’re pretty sure it’s still true now, no matter who’s asking and or how bad*ss your dharma name is. Which is why this year’s ACZC 2023 Calendar Centerfold (pictured above), is you! Because that Buddha you see when you look in the mirror? Yeah, that’s you. Thanks for being such a good looking Buddha is what we’re trying to say."
“But wait,” you say, “What are these ACZC 2023 Wall Calendar you’re talking about??” Oh, thank you for asking, it’s one of the perks for our Year End Fall Fundraiser going on now! As you may or may not have heard we need to raise $10,000 this year to cover our usual yearly deficits (yikes…) and send our caretaker to Japan for required monastic training this year, and the good news is! Y’all are amazing. Right now we are 9/10s of the way to our goal. Whoa. Seriously, thank you so much to everyone who’s donated so far. It really does mean a lot to see how close we’ve been able to get. But, we are not there yet, so if you haven’t gotten a chance yet, check out the details and info posted up here, and thank you for helping keep our little center going. And as always, if you cannot donate, please do not! We’re just glad you’re here. But if you can, please do! As that’s how we’re able to not worry about those who can’t, and keep all our programming no-one-turned-away donation based. Thank you for everything as always is the real point.
But speaking of warm fuzzy feelings to ward off the cold, this Saturday (12/10) at 7pm, join us around the fire pit for Salon 17 (Off Site, 1922 Baxter St 90026- (In Person Only)) where ACZC’s own Sara Campbell takes the bench to talk about “Ambition for Lazy People.” Gainful living for the goalless, sounds like all our ambitions met!
And then Sunday night at 7pm join us for our monthly Full Moon Ceremony - one half hour of zazen followed by some of the sweetest chanting we get to do around here when we’ll make our apologies for the month, chant the precepts, and remember why they were such good advice all over again.
And don’t forget! ACZC will be closed for Winter Break Monday 12/18 - Friday 12/30, reopening Saturday 12/31 for our annual New Year’s Eve Sit.
But hey, speaking of the absolute inseparability of beginnings born in an ending, this week on the podcast we are very excited to bring you Dave Cuomo with “Beyond You” (Vimalakirti Sutra - The Thrilling Conclusion). Join us for a madcap romp to the finale of The Vimalakirti Sutra where Buddha and Vimalakirti square off for an epic confrontation that is literally Beyond Comprehension, Vimalakirti holds a universe in his hands like a bouquet of flowers for his loved ones (us!), Shariputra finally gets some answers, Buddha regales us with stories of when he was a young upstart Bodhisattva just as confused as the rest of us, and even the god Indra makes a cameo to endorse the whole affair. What actually is a Buddha after all? Why doesn’t the sutra want us to believe it’s own bulls**t?? What are our practice, dreams, ambitions, and lives about if in the end they’re not about us at all??? Find out here!
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms
This Week in Zen! All sessions hosted in person and on Zoom unless otherwise marked (email us for quick and easy Zoom access info):
Saturday, 12/10 at 10am
Sit & Talk w/ Dave Cuomo - Our biggest day of the week! Two half hour rounds of zazen, one walking meditation in the middle and then Dave takes the hot seat with part 2 of The Empty Bowl Sutra. This week, Buddha’s bests students are just trying to get some lunch, but Manjushri keeps sending then off to samadhis with his wise words of wisdom, and not a whole lot is getting done. Will they ever get to fill their stomachs from those empty bowls?? Let’s find out.
Saturday, 12/10 at 7pm (Off Site - In Person Only)
Salon 17 w/ Sara Campbell - Join us around the fire pit at 1922 Baxter St (90026) for a talk with ACZC’s own Sara Campbell on “Ambition for Lazy People.” See y’all there.
Sunday, 12/11 at 7pm
Full Moon Ceremony - One half hour of zazen followed by the oldest (and some say most beautiful) ceremony in Buddhism - The Rayaku Fusatsu, aka repentance ceremony. Join us!
Monday 12/12 at 7:30pm
Sit & Talk w/ Dave - One half hour of zazen, followed by talk & tea.
Wednesday 12/14 at 7:30pm (Zoom Only)
Sit & Koan Discussion - This week! Linji’s Blind Ass (Book of Serenity - Case 13) A dying Linji tells his loyal assistant Sansheng, “When I’m gone, don’t go destroying my teachings, huh?” (The confidence on this guy…) Will Sansheng live up to the legacy?? Will the Truth remain in safe (no one promised sane…) hands?? Let’s find out.
Thursday, 12/15 at 7pm (Zoom Only)
Yoga & Zazen w/ Nina Snow - Nina Snow returns for one hour of her patented Slow Flow Zen Yoga™ perfectly designed to open up our hips, hearts, and minds and send us off to our cushions for one half hour of that one posture yoga we call zazen. We’ll see y’all there.
Friday, 12/16 at 8am
Heart Sutra Chanting Service - This week! We say thank you to 1000 year legacy of keeping the wisdom seat warm by chanting the Heart Sutra in Japanese, followed by the most delightful of dharanis, the Daihishin Dharani! Poetry for the ages. Come on out and lend us your voice.
Tuesday - Friday, 7am - 8am
Morning Sit - One simple hour of what we do best - just sitting. Optional five minute stretch break offered in the middle.
See y’all soon!
Love,
ACZC
