Happy Accident
⚡️ACZC Happenings, 6/13 - 6/20⚡️
“As much as you can not get hung up on your own best moments, the more best moments you’ll have, and the happier you’ll be.”
- Dave Cuomo
Hello Sangha!
Greetings from the buildout process for our camping retreat! As of this writing, we’re busy getting it all ready, so just a short one today. We miss you and will be back next week with more stories, pictures, and podcasts. Join us next year if you missed it!
This week on the podcast we are pleased to present 🎙️ Happy Accident (History of Zen: The Samye Debate) w/ Dave Cuomo🎙️
In the year 794 a populist, liberating, and some might say threatening brand of Buddhism spreads like wildfire in the countryside forcing a Tibetan king to convene a great debate with enormous consequences that will shape the spiritual fate of nations, end in exile, death, or centuries of power and prestige for the participants, and shape our questions and understanding of what we’re practicing here down to the present day. Is enlightenment something that can be trained? Or is it something innate that no one can take away? Can Buddhism give us happier, healthier brains, or does trying to improve our thinking just get in the way? Can drugs help us see what Buddha saw? Find out here!
Up now at https://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms.
📖 This Week in ZenLit(™): 📖
Dongshan asked a monk, “Where have you been?”
The monk said, “Walking the mountain.”
Dongshan said, “Did you reach the peak?”
The monk said, “I did reach it.”
Dongshan said, “Was there anybody up there?”
The monk said, “There was no one.”
Dongshan said, “Then you didn’t reach the peak.”
The monk said, “If I haven’t been to the peak, how would I know there’s no one there?”
Dongshan said, “Why didn’t you stay there?”
The monk said, “I would stay there, but there’s an Indian sage who wouldn’t approve.”
Dongshan said, “I used to doubt this guy.”
⚡️This Week in Zen! ⚡️
All times Pacific. All sessions are in-person + on Zoom unless otherwise noted (email us for Zoom info).
Saturday - 6/13, 10am - 12:05pm
Sit & Talk with Beth Kaiserman - Our biggest day of the week! We’ll do two half-hour rounds of zazen, and then Beth takes the hotseat to lead us through a reading from Kobun Chino, and a discussion afterwards. See you there!
Monday - 6/15, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Talk w/Matthew Sherling - One half hour of zazen and our very own poet-in-residence Matthew is back for to lead us through a reading and discussion of a text of his choice. He’s been very into emptiness lately, so maybe something related? Come on out and let’s see!
Wednesday - 6/17, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & ZenLit(™) Night - This week! Did we reach the peak or didn’t we, and does that mean anything anyway?? Let’s discuss!
Friday - 6/19, 8am - 8:40am
Morning Chanting Service - This week! We’ll chant the Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra and the Declaration of Unity. 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