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3 TANKA
Antphonal songs Mockingbirds greet the morning Great Blue Herons stare imagining their voices night sweetly welcome the dawn The great temple bell awaits the morning, the monk, its daily purpose cast deep within the metal always verging on release Smoke of incense too prostrates itself to Buddha soon a morning breeze promises enlightenment or the…
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SEPPO CUTS TREES 鐵笛倒吹 二十三
Will you spend all of your time sharpening the blade or will you use it on the tree and if you strike the pith what will you say then? To speak of the sap flowing freely from the wound of the axe is utter foolishness it has no taste on the finger better to feel…
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RINZAI’S ENLIGHTENMENT 正法眼蔵 二十七
If you ask your question you will find an answer but ask another and the stick will respond each time. If you seek another teacher will you change the question or the answer, and does it matter. Take up the stick, who will you strike, your teacher or yourself, and is there any real difference?…
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QUESTIONING THE BUDDHA 無門關 三十二
Sit in utter stillness, turn away from words, let non-words wash over you, and give them no hold. The shadow of the whip will dance toward you like a cloudless sky blue and not blue – take to hoof and gallop. A reflection on case 32 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate) For Something Different, a…
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GENDER?
So why, pray tell, does my gender even matter, it isn’t like we will ever. meet, and let’s face it, there is a fluidity now which calls binary thinking absurd, so we’ll go with whatever you choose, so long as you realize I am all about compassion and relieving the world’s suffering – thought that…
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IN SEARCH
En route to Buddhism, I must admit I stopped at numerous philosophical way-stations, none quite as equipped as I would desire and so I moved on. Buddhism was my solution, no demands other than I be present, knowing I had no real choice but to do so, all in the recognition of that fact. I…
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SHUZAN’S SHIPPEI 無門關 四十三
Osho holds up a staff and cradles a small long haired dog. What do you call these, he asks the gathered assembly in both fact and reality? A chattering din brings the hall to silence, until the ghost of Joshu unfolds himself, strides to the zendo door, and while bowing, shouts MU! A reflection on…
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ISAN’S I HAVE EXHAUSTED MYSELF 正法眼蔵 四十四
Approach the master sitting on his seat. The fool will seek answers having slept through the lesson but the wise student will bow silently and retreat having learned all there is and knowing absolutely nothing. A reflection on case 44 of Dogen’s True Dharma Eye Koans
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SEPPO’S PUNCTUALITY 鐵笛倒吹 二十六
You ask me how I know when to begin my sitting so it will be the right time. It is easy to watch the sun and stars for they clearly know. You ask what I do when the sky is black with impenetrable clouds, it is easy to watch the clouds. Water from the stream…
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THE MIDDLE WAY
George Harrison said that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there, and on reflection it was obvious he was correct.. Today, rising from the cushion, the four vows recited, Buddha put back on his small altar, Harrison’s words echoed loudly for he understood in a moment what it…
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an old writer and his words 