博客存档

Sangha News for September

9/16/2025

Commentaries

Dōgen’s Chinese Poems (92)
Waters Rise and Fall
Commentary by Shōhaku Okumura

The first lamp lit immediately breaks the previous ancient darkness.
Even if we add on so that the brightness increases,
do not hold it up again as it will make no difference.
A billion lamps are within the room.

In his Commentary on the Prajñā-pāramitā Sutra, (大智度論, Daichidoron), Nāgarjuna quoted the Prajñā-pāramitā Sutra and said that awakening is attained neither by beginner’s mind (初心, shosin) nor by being apart from the beginner’s mind, and that awakening is attained neither by the later mind (後心, goshin) nor by being apart from the later mind. The later mind (後心) is the mind of an experienced and advanced practitioner who has already reached a certain stage.[3] In the Chinese Tiantai (天台, Tendai) tradition, the third ancestor, Tiantai Zhiyi (天台智顗, Tendai Chigi, 538–597) and the sixth ancestor, Jingxi Zhanran (荊渓湛然, Keikei Tan’nen, 711–782) followed Nāgarjuna’s discussion. They used an analogy of a flame, the wick of an oil lamp, and illumination.

Interestingly, as recorded in Hōkyōki, the final question Dōgen asked of his teacher Tiantong Rujing (天童如浄, Tendō Nyojō) was this same question about beginner’s mind and later mind. READ MORE

In this issue:

Commentaries: Waters rise and fall; Shedding lay clothing
News: Sanshin shed upgrade; Farm-to-sangha connections
Practice recap: September sesshin; September work day
Coming up: Home Altar workshop; One-day sit; Virtual dharma study intensive
Sanshin Network: News from France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Bloomington

New on the web

Sanshin source

This image gallery shows Sanshin's temple okesa under construction.
There's a new entry on Tonen's blog, Thinking About Dharma.

Dharma talks

July 25th: Doju on the practice of pilgrimage
Sept 7th: Okumura Roshi: Sitting for ten years, ten more, and ten more... (OHT 258)

108 Gates

Sanshin's monthly board meetings are open to the public.

Those who wish are welcome to sit in on this month's meeting on Sunday, September 28th, from 7 - 8:30 pm ET, using the Zoom link on our virtual practice page.

I Vow With All Beings:
Shedding Lay Clothing
Commentary by Hoko Karnegis

SHEDDING LAY CLOTHING,
I VOW WITH ALL BEINGS
TO CULTIVATE ROOTS OF GOODNESS
AND ABANDON THE YOKE OF TRANSGRESSIONS.

This verse continues our consideration of the meaning of committing to practice. In this case, the circumstance is ordination as a novice, leaving behind one’s status as a layperson and vowing to carry the dharma and the Buddhist tradition in a formal and public way.

Traditionally, the way to cultivate good roots was to devote oneself entirely to studying the dharma and practicing the Way. Thus, this gate associates shedding lay clothing—leaving behind the responsibilities of being a householder and caring for family, fields, business and society—with a wholehearted commitment to practice. Another way to look at this, however, is to see shedding lay clothing as putting aside our habitual focus on satisfying our greed, indulging our anger, and remaining ignorant of things we don’t want to see. We make a shift from setting up conditions that result in worldly benefits—material gain, an impressive reputation, victories over rivals—to setting up conditions that result in moving ourselves and others toward understanding the Four Noble Truths and cause and effect. Worldly benefits may still arrive, but achieving them is not our goal or focus. We’ve redirected ourselves away from self-clinging and toward embracing all beings. READ MORE

News

Sanshin shed upgrade: Two new spacious and well-lit sheds now sit at the end of the Sanshinji driveway, replacing our old dilapidated toolshed and allowing us to relinquish our rented off-campus storage space. Soon, a roof-covered bike rack will live between the two sheds. The cost of this project was fully covered by our Spring fundraiser earlier this year -- this will facilitate shared work practice and transportation to Sanshin for years to come. Your own ongoing participation, practice, and support nurtures everyone's practice.

Farm-to-sangha connections: Visits to Green Gulch & Seven Ridges Farms

Sawyer, a local practitioner and Sanshin's operations manager, spent two weeks in August living and practicing at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center near Muir Beach, California, primarily to learn from that sangha's food practice-operations and bring home insights for Sanshin's own (smaller-scale) food practice activities. In the midst of folding into the daily residential schedule (within which two dozen+ others live and practice full-time), he observed and participated in tending the community's working vegetable farm and kitchen practice, and talked with fellow practitioners, apprentices, and food practice leaders about their experiences. Much was learned and explored which will continue to percolate through the sangha. Feel free to reach out to Sawyer directly if you'd like to hear more.

With Jon, one of Seven Ridges' farm managers, kale bowing behind.

Next to the umpan (mealtime gong) at Green Gulch

More recently and closer to home, Sawyer drove a half-hour up the road to Seven Ridges Farm in Brown County, Indiana, to join the potluck celebration held for members of that farm's CSA (community supported agriculture) program -- bringing roasted green beans from Sanshin's own community garden plot. Sanshin sources produce from Seven Ridges in a "sesshin-CSA" arrangement to feed practitioners during sesshin and retreats.

Practice recap

September sesshin: Emerging from our simplified Quiet August practice schedule, four practitioners participated in a steady and settled 3-day sesshin at Sanshin from September 4 - 7. Several others dropped in for some portions, virtually and in-person. Local practitioners Doju and Eunyoung each contributed a meal.

September work day: The sangha gathered at the temple for our monthly work day on a warm and sunny Sunday, September 14th. Much of the activity was focused around prepping our new tool/storage sheds and clearing out tools and supplies from the old one. Practitioners also weeded along the walkway entry, set a new post for lighting on the grounds, and planted a new chrysanthemum to join the other under the ginkgo tree.

Coming up

Home altar workshop with Hosshin
Saturday, Sep 20th, 9 am - 5 pm (REGISTER BY SEPT 16TH)

There is one day left to register for a day devoted to establishing a home altar as a foundation for practice at home. Hosshin Shoaf will provide the wooden pieces and necessary supplies and guide participants in the assembly of an altar that can sit on a surface or be hung on a wall. This is the same altar we use in the common room at Sanshin. Previous experience with wood, building or crafts is helpful but not necessary. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER BY SEPT 16th

One-day sit with Hosshin
Saturday, Oct 4th, 7:30 am - 6 pm (REGISTER BY SEPT 27TH)

Join us for one day of practice led by Hosshin Shoaf in the style of our sesshin, a retreat devoted simply to sitting zazen. The schedule will be that of a typical sesshin, but the day itself will be shorter than the usual 4 am - 9 pm. Whether you're just establishing your practice and are looking for the opportunity to try some intensive sitting or you're an experienced practitioner with limited time, this one-day sit is a chance to set aside all other home and temple activities and just engage in zazen.

Virtual dharma study intensive with Okumura Roshi
Kesa Kudoku (Virtue of the Kashaya)
10 weekday mornings: Oct 27 - 31 & Nov 3 - 7 (The lectures are also recorded and made available to registrants each day.)

Registration is now open for this fall's dharma study intensive, during which Okumura Roshi will offer ten lectures on his own newly edited translation of Eihei Dogen Zenji's Kesa Kudoku (Virtue of the Kashaya). In this text, Dogen discusses the meaning and importance of Buddha's robe (known as kashaya or okesa) as a direct expression and transmission of the dharma, supporting ourselves and others through our day-to-day practice -- whether or not we're wearing a formal rakusu or okesa ourselves. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Sanshin Network

Sanko-an now in Switzerland: Gyoriki Herskamp, a dharma heir of Okumura Roshi, reports on the re-location of his sangha and temple:

At the end of July, the Zen hermitage Sanko-ji moved from the Black Forest in Germany to the Swiss Alps, specifically to Valais, to an alpine hut at an altitude of 1200 meters. Prior to this, we renovated the old 19th-century barn and made it winter-proof. We also installed a photovoltaic system to generate electricity. Sanko-an, the new name of the Zen hermitage, has its own spring. The website is now www.zenklause.ch, please join in.

On August 23rd, the opening of the Sanko-an Zen hermitage took place in beautiful weather. After zazen and the opening ceremony, there was an aperitif. This is an important Valais tradition, and we toast with local white wine and snacks. After the kampai, there were some pleasant conversations. We all agreed that this was a good start and we hope that the Dharma will continue to establish itself in Valais. In the midst of the wilderness, we hope that it will be easier for us to become also wild and natural. The first five-day sesshin will take place in early October.

Although Sanko-an is quite remote, some participants came from far away, such as Kyoku Lutz (a dharma heir of Hoko) from Hanover in North Germany, Romeo and Roland from Principality of Liechtenstein, and Peter and Philipp from Basel. We were also very pleased that Jean, Rosalie, and Prisca from the AZI Dojo Sierre, located in the valley below, participated.

Japanese language study opportunity: Esho Morimoto offers lessons or tutoring for basic conversational Japanese online or in person. If there is interest in forming small classes and studying with others, that may be possible. Note that this offering is not about translating Dogen texts, reading classical Japanese, or doing other high-level Buddhist study. However, some knowledge of basic Japanese can be very helpful for practitioners, especially those planning to practice in Japan itself.

Please contact Esho directly for more information or to make arrangements.

Shoju Mahler recently completed a French translation of Uchiyama Roshi's How to Cook Your Life

Mokusho DePreay and his sangha at a calligraphy and ikebana weekend workshop at Daishinji in Mons, Belgium. The practice-theme for the weekend was "Living by Vow."

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We're grateful for the financial support of our many friends and community members worldwide. Coming together as a sangha to take care of our temple and practice in this way is simply an instance of the universe carrying out its functioning. Thank you for your participation!