“Absolute truth is all well and good - we are all one, there is no separation… but one of us still has to pay the rent.” - Sara Campbell
Hello Sangha!
It’s been so great to see and sit and chant with you during our beefed out ango schedule! Thank you so much for showing up to support yourself, and each other. And now that we’re in full swing, we’ve turned our attention to plotting our next big sangha situation: the Spring Retreat!
And the big news is registration is up and ready for you! It will run from noon Friday, 6/6 to noon Monday, 6/9, and we’ll be hosting it at Sozenji in Montebello, which you may also know as our favorite supporting teacher, Gyokei’s, home temple! We’re very excited about the location — plenty of room to spread out and can perfectly accommodate us for overnight stays, but it’s also close enough that we’ll also be able to offer a commuter option! (It’s about a 20 minute drive from ACZC HQ (without traffic…))
Details and registration here! And as always feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all.
But speaking of picking your own favorite flavor of guaranteed amazement, this week on the podcast we are very pleased to present “Monk Mode” w/ Sara Campbell (2 Truths - pt 2). In part 2 of our “2 Truths” series, Sara puts both of those truths into practice to find out if there’s a middle way between selfishness and martyrdom. How do we work on behalf of all living beings without burning ourselves out? Can we really write off our private little luxuries as somehow good for everyone? Who ultimately deserves the best cut of fish, the babies in the nest or the mom up there keeping them alive?? Find out here!
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms.
And hey, how about some ZenLit(™) for the week?
Huineng said, “Do you want to see the Pure Land?? I’ll take you there right now!”
The sangha was stunned and had no idea what was about to happen.
Huineng said, “Sangha! Listen up! Every one of your bodies is a city. Your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin are the city gates. Inside is the gate of the mind. Your heart is the realm, and your nature is its ruler. Buddha is a product of your own nature. Don’t look for it outside of your body. When you’re confused about your nature, the Buddha is a regular being. When you wake up to your true nature, all beings are Buddha. Guanyin bodhissatva is just love and kindness. Dashizhi bodhissatva is just joy and letting go. Shakyamuni buddha is just power and innocence. Maitreya buddha is just truth and fairness.
You are Mount Sumeru. The corruption in your mind is the ocean. Your worries are the waves, hateful thoughts are its vicious dragons. Worldly troubles are the fish caught in the currents. Lies are the ghosts. Greed, hate, and delusion are the hells. Ignorance is the toiling livestock. Good deeds are the heavens.
But if there is no “I” - no self, Mount Sumeru instantly crumbles. Stamp out the corruption and the ocean dries up - no worries, no waves; no hateful thoughts, no vicious dragons. When the Buddha of your own enlightened nature shines the light of wisdom on your mind, the six sense gates shine clear and bright, the heavenly realms of desire are all exposed and shattered; greed, hate, and delusion vanish, hell disappears; inside and outside are completely cleansed and are no different than any Pure Land.”
This Week in Zen! All times posted in Pacific time zone, all sessions hosted in person and on Zoom unless otherwise marked (email us for quick and easy Zoom access info):
Saturday - 3/29, 10am - 12:30pm
Sit & Talk w/ Jordan
Our biggest day of the week! We’ll begin with two half-hour rounds of zazen, and then Jordan returns to the hotseat to talk about…zazen! If the thing that we're opening our awareness to is actually there all the time, then what are we doing when we sit? How are we always in the “thing” and yet not aware of the thing? If it's not quite right that we're scrubbing ourself of delusion in zazen, then why do we need it so much to not be deluded?? Come on out and let’s find out! (Also! All Saturdays during our ango period now include a full half day of activities, including extra zazen at 7am and chanting of the Ryogon Shu (see below)! )
Monday - 3/31, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Discussion w/ Kiyo - One half hour of zazen and then we have a special guest (and good friend of Gyokei’s) zooming in all the way from Japan to give us the skinny on the original Soto scene and some true monk mode. See y’all there!
Wednesday - 4/2, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & ZenLit Night - Sara returns to the hot seat to facilitate a sangha field trip to the Pure Land we may or may not have noticed we’re already in. Also, commentary with Dave. Teamwork makes the dreamwork y’all. Let’s discuss!
Thursday - 4/3, 7:30pm - 8:40pm
Evening Zazen - The latest addition to the ACZC lineup! Join us for two 30 minute rounds of evening sitting to wind down your day and week serenely. We’ll see y’all there.
Friday - 4/4, 8am
Morning Chanting Service - This week! We honor the ancestors with a little Heart Sutra in swingin’ Sink Sanskrit along with the Daishin darani. Poetry for the ages! Also rumor has it Dave’s making pancakes for breakfast after. (Blueberry ricotta buckwheat we hear…) 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.
Tuesday - Saturday - Morning Ango Schedule
As always feel free to join for as much or as little of the schedule as you’re able.
6:30 - 7:00am………………Silent Coffee
7:00 - 8:10am………………Zazen & Kinhin
8:10 - 8:40am………………Chanting
8:40 - 9:10am…………..…Zen Breakfast
9:10 - 9:50am………………Work Practice
See y’all soon!
Love,
ACZC