My Greatest Wish
⚡️ACZC Happenings, 8/2 - 8/8⚡️
“Patiently waiting for enlightenment is not the mind of zazen. A practice of sincere action and engagement is not the mind of zazen. A teaching based on stopping evil and doing good is not the mind of zazen. Even when Zen sets down a teaching, it is not a normal teaching. It’s directly pointing to a single passed down truth, a fully embodied expression, an underlying language that knows no structure and is beyond all meaning and reason; a single word can express the whole universe without the slightest mention — surely this is the real teaching”
- Keizan Jokin
Hello Sangha!
Hi! Dave here. I am away this week, missing you all dearly of course while I’m helping our friends Koshin and Chodo (pictured above) and the whole New York Zen Center gang with their summer retreat. I had almost forgotten what real humidity was, or rain for that matter, or the proper way to pronounce yumid, so it’s good to be back.
But speaking of good friends, Koshin loves to describe most anything in Zen as a relationship, from the bells, to the bows, to our confused little lonely selves, which is great and I wholeheartedly agree and steal the sentiment whenever I can. But also, if you haven’t sat a retreat led by a teacher couple who’ve been together too long or just long enough that the retreat ends up being led by plenty of knowing winks and corresponding eye rolls, let me just say I highly recommend it. So, that’s their thank you card I made for them up top there, and if either of them are reading this right now and spoiling my goodbye gift, hey, get off the internet, you’re supposed to be on retreat…
And speaking of retreating, tomorrow (Saturday, 8/2) is ACZC’s monthly Half Day Sit, where we would be delighted to see you for a full calendar of Zen practice from 7am - 12:15pm (or as much as your schedule allows). We’ll do two rounds of zazen, a quick well being chanting service, two more rounds of zazen, and finish off with a talk with our favorite lay teacher Sara. If anyone (who you know personally) is sick or otherwise in need of good health well wishes, you can add their names to the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll be happy to include them in this month’s well being dedication.
And speaking of things we do to be well, 🎙️ This week on the podcast we are excited to present “My Greatest Wish (Zazen Yojinki) w/ Keizan Jokin”🎙️
Our great ancestor friend Keizan takes us on a wild ride of epically thorough zazen instruction, warnings, epiphanies, inspirations, cosmic descriptions, and everything in between in ACZC’s fresh new translation of his classic “Points to Keep in Mind for Zazen” (Zazen Yojinki). What is the mind and what should we do with it? What should we do with tip of our nose and our belly button during zazen? If we feel sleepy, learned, scattered, or enlightened, does Keizan have the remedy?? (Yes!) Find out here!
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms.
📖 Here’s your weekly dive into the deep waters of ZenLit(™)! 📖
A monk asked Caoshan, “They say the great ocean doesn’t take dead bodies. What is the ocean?”
Caoshan said, “It contains everything.”
The monk asked, “Then why doesn’t it take dead bodies?”
Caoshan said, “The breathless don’t take to it.”
The monk said, “But if it contains everything, why don’t the breathless take to it?”
Caoshan said, “It doesn’t try to contain anything. The breathless have their own purpose.”
⚡️This Week in Zen! ⚡️
All times Pacific. All sessions are in-person + on Zoom unless otherwise noted (email us for Zoom info).
Saturday - 8/2, 7am - 12:15pm
Half Day Sit w/Sara Campbell - Our biggest day of the month! Two half hour rounds of zazen, a short and sweet well being chanting service, and a sit & talk with Sara about desires and indulgences. And then we take a quick break for a delicious and healthy Zen breakfast before returning for two more rounds of that sweet sweet zazen. (Full schedule here for reference.) We can’t wait. See y’all there!
Monday - 8/4, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Discussion w/ Andy Thomas - One half hour of zazen and then Andy returns to the hotseat with a talk about getting old and Dogen’s concept of being-time in the “Uji” chapter of Shobogenzo. In his words, “getting old sucks, but maybe that’s the point.” Come on out and let’s hear more!
Wednesday - 8/6, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & ZenLit Night - This week we take on a curious exchange between Caoshan and a monk about the nature of the ocean. What does it make of the dead and how do we even know that?? Let’s discuss!
Thursday - 8/7, 7:30pm - 8:40pm
Evening Zazen - Join us for two simple 30 minute rounds of serene evening sitting to wind down your day and week. See y’all there!
Friday - 8/8, 8am
Morning Chanting Service - It’s Japanese week! 🇯🇵 This week we chant the Maka Hanya Haramitta Shingyo and the Daihishin Darani, followed by our lineage ancestors. 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