There Is No Other Thing.

Jay Rinsen Weik gives a talk and leads discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on October 8, 2008.

When Ch'an Master Wu-yeh of Fen-chou went to see the Ancestor (Ma-Tsu), the Ancestor noticed that his apperance was extraordinary and that his voice was like (the sound of) a bell. He said, "Such an imposing Buddha hall, but no Buddha in it."

We-yeh respectfully kneeled down, and said, "I have studied the texts that contain the teachings of the Three Vehicles and have been able to roughly understand their meaning. I have also often heard about the teaching of the Ch'an school that mind is Buddha: this is something I have not yet been able to understand."

The Ancestor said, "This very mind that does not understand is it. There is no other thing."

- The Teachings of Ma-Tsu.

Summertime!

Summertime and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh you Daddy's rich and you ma is good lookin'
So hush little baby, don't you cry

One of these mornings
You're goin' to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky
But till that morning
There's a nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

Thoughts Don't Originally Exist

Jay Rinsen Weik gives a talk and leads discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on September 24, 2008.

"A Layman asked: 'I'm grateful for your teaching of the unborn, but I find that thoughts easily come up as a result of my ingrained bad habits, and when I'm distracted by them, I can't wholeheartedly realize the unborn. How can I put my faith totally in the unborn Buddha Mind?'

"The Master said: 'When you try to stop your rising thoughts, you create a duality between the mind that does the stopping and the mind that's being stopped, so you'll never have peace of mind. Just have faith that thoughts don't originally exist, but only arise and cease temporarily in response to what you see and hear without any actual substance of their own.'"

- From Master Bankei's Hogo Instructions: Duality.


Listen to the podcast HERE.

Artless Arts of Zen: A Summer Workshop Series

For a fuller overview of this series, registration information and complete details on each of the events be sure to click here.

July 17
The Artless Arts of Zen:
An Introductory Talk
with Rinsen and Do'on Weik
7 to 9 pm Free

July 18
Just Eating: The Art of Oryoki
w/Rinsen & Slow Food Maumee Valley
9 to 5
www.slowfoodmaumeevalley.blogspot.com

July 19
Musicianship and the Spiritual Path
with Rinsen and Kyomon
9 to noon and 2 to 5pm

August 1,2
Shaped by Earth: The Art of Tea Bowls
with Mitsuo Kakutani
9 to 12 & 2 to 5 pm

August 8
The Stone Woman Speaks:Poetry as Spiritual Practice
Dr. Larry smith
9-noon and 2-5pm

August 15, 16
Brush Mind, Brush Heart
with Kaz Tanahashi
9 to 12 & 2 to 5pm

August 21, 22, 21
First Steps: An Introduction to Zen Practice Weekend Retreat
with Rinsen and TZC sangha at Lourdes College

New Drinking Gourd Podcast

What Is It That Is Difficult For You To Accept?
Jay Rinsen Weik gives a talk and leads discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on September 17, 2008.

"Well, the interesting thing is, that where that difficulty is, when
you're honest, is the edge of our practice. That's where the edge is
for you."
- Rinsen

For more information about the Toledo Zen Center, please visit toledozen.org.

New Drinking Gourd Podcast

Shih-T'ou's Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage (2 of 2)

Jay Rinsen Weik gives a talk and leads discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on September 3, 2008.

"Turn around the light to shine within, then just return.
The vast inconceivable source can't be faced or turned away from.
Meet the ancestral teachers, be familiar with their instruction,
bind grasses to build a hut, and don't give up.
Let go of hundreds of years and relax completely.
Open your hands and walk, innocent."
- Shih-Tou

Liturgy council

Sangha,

Rinsen has tapped me to head a liturgy council. If you've ever wanted to add to your practice by doing instruments, leading the chants, or even learning how to ush better as an usher, this is the time to step forward. We will be setting up a time soon to do a training session of an hour or so some afternoon/evening. Please, despite all the humor we interject into the subject of liturgy, and there are lots of opportunities for THAT, consider the practice. We need to have enough people that are comfortable with the entire spectrum of service positions so we are not enlisting someone at the last minute. Leave a comment on this blog, see me next Wednesday, or let Rinsen know of your interest, but I would like this to happen soon before we are into the lecture/workshop series. Rinsen, please start looking at available times for this to happen with you, as I think it's vital you are there.

Gassho,

Chuck Greer

Sesshin just past

What a wonderful weekend. I almost picked up and left on Saturday, but somehow made it through the doldrums. Damn monkey mind!! Besides, I would have missed hearing a drum made out of an old 5 gallon plastic bucket, or realizing that the thing the Buddha figure in the interview room was sitting on was, in fact, an upside-down soup pot with a cloth covering it...gotta love it!! As Rinsin said in the talk, the ancients crossed seas and traversed mountains for the chance to hear a phrase or two, so we should be able to sit our zazen and suffer a little and maybe catch a glimpse of...something words don't touch.

Life and Death are of Supreme Importance:

Made over 100 years ago, this footage shows a number of scenes shot around central London.

Drink from the newest Drinking Gourd Podcast HERE