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Sangha News for December

12/16/2024

Commentary

Dogen's Chinese Poems (84)
Ninety Days in Buddha's Hand
Commentary by Shohaku Okumura

183. Dharma Hall Discourse at the Closing of Summer Practice Period [1246]

We have played for ninety days with Gautama’s single hand.
Extending a trusty hand, he passed along a wooden ladle by the handle.
Consequently, clouds and water monks in the monastery
who practice repentance are joyful together.

This particular Dharma hall discourse was given on the occasion of the end of the summer practice period in 1246. One month before, on the fifteenth day of the sixth month, Dōgen had completed writing Pure Standards for the Temple Administrators (知事清規, Chiji Shingi). On the same day, he changed the temple’s name from Daibutsuji (大仏寺) to Eiheiji (永平寺). In the Dharma hall discourse in which he declared the changing of the temple’s name, he used the famous expression, “Above the heaven and below the heaven, this very place is Eihei (Eternal Peace), (天上天下当処永平, tenjō tenga tōsho Eihei).[5]

Around this time, Dōgen completed writing the 75-fascicle version of Shōbōgenzō. The final, 75th fascicle, Leaving Home (出家, Shukke) was written after this practice period, in the 9th month in 1246. From this year on, he writes the fascicles which are included in the twelve-fascicle version of Shōbōgenzō, and he revised already-written fascicles as necessary. Otherwise, giving Dharma hall discourses becomes the main teaching activity for him. This particular summer practice period must have been a monumental event in Dōgen’s life. READ MORE

News

Fund appeal continues: Coming together with the sangha to take care of our practice and our temple is just an instance of the universe carrying out its functioning.

Many thanks to those who have contributed so far to our annual fundraising appeal -- there's still time to participate, through offerings of any size. It is due to the the continued support of our beloved dharma community, that Sanshin Zen Community remains a warm and vibrant home for the Dharma to flourish. But we still have room to grow! Learn more about our Fall 2024 Fund Appeal.

Funds raised so far: $22,017

*As of Dec 15th. For each thousand dollars we raise together, we'll color in a square of Indra's Net -- a symbol of interconnectedness often referenced by Okumura Roshi. Thank you for your participation and practice.

In this issue:

Commentary: Ninety days in Buddha's hand
New on the web: 108 Gates; Sunday dharma talks on Youtube
News: Fund appeal continues; Sanshin clergy at Sotoshu conference; Esho teaches enso to university students; DePauw University Buddhist club visits Sanshin
Practice recap: November work morning; Rohatsu sesshin and ceremony
Coming up: Ryaku fusatsu; Six Points discussion # 6; The Zen Practice of Being Old with Tonen O'Connor; Nyoho workshop with Koun Franz
Sanshin Network: News from Japan, New York, and Europe

New on the web

108 Gates: Hoko's written commentaries on gate statements 47 - 51 of the 108 Gates of Dharma Illumination (Ippyakuhachi Homyomon) are now available, together with study/discussion questions for groups or individuals. New commentaries are posted to our 108 Gates page each Monday.

Dharma talks on Youtube:

Oct 27th: Hoko on dharma study within Sanshin's practice vision
Nov 24th: Hoko on work practice within Sanshin's practice vision
Dec 8: Okumura Roshi on Buddha's awakening & losing our eyeballs

Sanshin clergy at Sotoshu conference: Sanshin was well-represented at the 2024 Sotoshu conference at Zenshuji in Los Angeles. Hoko, Myogen and Esho attended from Bloomington, Shoryu came in from Arkansas, as well as Eido and Onryu from Minnesota and Doshin from Iowa. Attendees tended to general denominational business before hearing about and discussing several new translations of texts by Keizan Zenji. Hoko is also the vice president and communications officer for Soto Zen North America, a newly forming organization being created to eventually take over some of the functions of the denomination in North America, and she delivered an update presentation at the conference.

Hoko presents.

Esho & Shoryu await a flight.

Esho teaches enso: Esho offered teachings about ensō to a group of students enrolled in a course on Japanese language and culture at the Indianapolis campus of Indiana University, in mid-November. In Zen art, an ensō (円相, "circular form") is a circle hand-drawn in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes to express the Zen mind, which is associated with enlightenment, emptiness, and freedom. Esho's presentation included a short lecture on the history of ensō, a demonstration of drawing an ensō, and finally a brief period of guided meditation as preparation for several rounds of the students drawing their own ensō.

Sawyer accompanied Esho to Indianapolis, assisting with transportation and setup, and learning about enso together with the students.

Students visit Sanshin: Members of DePauw University's Buddhist club traveled to Bloomington from Greencastle, IN to participate in regular Sunday practice at Sanshin on November 24th. After some brief instruction, the group of about 15 students participated in zazen, listened to Hoko's dharma talk, and met the sangha during informal tea afterwards.

Sawyer demonstrates zendo forms.

It was a full house in the zendo, which was rearranged during zazen to accommodate the visitors.

Practice recap

November work morning: The sangha gathered for monthly work practice on the morning of Sunday, November 17th, following zazen and our monthly World Peace Ceremony. Practitioners worked to rake leaves off the lawn and into a future native woodland area on the northeast corner of our grounds, planted bulbs and native wildflower seeds as part of an effort to supply our altars with season-long homegrown flowers next year, and repaired our limping electric lawnmower.

Rohatsu sesshin & ceremony: A close-knit group of five practitioners carried out this year's 7-day Rohatsu sesshin. Several others participated in extended portions of the sesshin, supplied ingredients and cooked meals, dropped in occasionally for periods of zazen, and/or joined the group for the formal tea and late night zazen periods leading up to the Rohatsu Heart Sutra service at midnight on December 8th. Since December 8th (the traditional date marking Shakyamuni Buddha's awakening) this year fell on a Sunday, local practitioners joined sesshin participants for a potluck breakfast that morning, followed by regular Sunday practice including a dharma talk from Okumura Roshi and a Rohatsu ceremony with the wider sangha.

This sesshin incorporated the largest harvest from our sesshin garden this year, with sangha-grown daikon radishes, turnips, arugula, sweet potatoes, kale, and Napa cabbage directly supporting our own practice.

Coming up

Ryaku fusatsu tonight (Mon, Dec 16 at 7 pm ET): Join us this evening, virtually or in-person, for our monthly ryaku fusatsu ceremony. We carry out this ceremony on the Monday evening closest to the 15th each month, as a regular renewal of our aspiration to practice with the sixteen bodhisattva precepts. Everyone is welcome, regardless of whether or not you've formally received the precepts. If attending in person, please show up by 6:50 pm, to allow enough time for offering incense and purifying rakusu or okesa (if you have one) before the ceremony.

We'll mark the 59th anniversary of Sawaki Roshi's death with a brief memorial service on Sunday, Dec 21st.

Six Points discussion #6 (Thurs, Dec 19th):
Deeply inquiring into the teaching of ehou ichinyo: kesa and dharma are one

6:30 - 7 pm (ET): Zazen
7 - 8 pm: Discussion

Whether or not we've taken precepts and wear rakusu or okesa, we'll learn more about the importance of Sawaki Roshi's leadership in the 20th century nyoho-e movement, and begin looking into the teaching of ehou ichinyo: kesa and dharma are one. Earlier this year, Sanshin launched the Sawaki Nyoho-e Treasury, an effort to collect and offer the most complete and accurate set of resources possible related specifically to our dharma great-grandfather’s nyoho-e teachings and practices.

How does the Buddha's robe embody our practice of the Buddha's teachings?

Virtual and in-person participation is welcome; just drop in, no registration necessary. Learn more and check out Hoko's opening remarks from past discussions on our lineage & legacy webpage.

The Zen Practice of Being Old:
Three-part online discussion series for practitioners age 70+
Jan 9th, 16th, & 23rd, 2025 from 2 - 3:30 pm ET
with Rev. Tonen O'Connor

A few spaces remain for Zen practitioners age 70+ to join Tonen O'Connor, resident teacher emerita of the Milwaukee Zen Center and former Sanshin board member, for a series of three afternoon virtual discussions this January about new dharma gates that appear as we age. This series is not about "spirituality for positive aging," nor is it about "achieving graceful elder years." It is about new opportunities for practice.

Tonen looks out to sea during travels in Japan.

The discussions will focus on the practice opportunities and dharma insights available at 70 years of age and beyond that differ from the experience of our younger years. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Koun Franz was born in Helena, Montana. He was ordained in 2001, then trained at Zuioji and Shogoji monasteries. Koun and his family now live in Canada (Halifax, Nova Scotia), where he leads practice at Sensōji (Thousand Harbours Temple) and also works as a counseling therapist.

Nyohō: The Dharma of Just This
A one-day workshop led by Koun Franz
Saturday, January 25th from 9 am - 5 pm

There is a tradition—within the Soto Zen tradition—called nyohō, a practice of exploring the dharma as it’s expressed through the material world around us. These teachings offer a way for us to touch, smell, taste, view, and hear the dharma—to hold it in our hands. They invite us not only to consider our practice in terms of the Buddha's original teachings but also to take creative responsibility for it in each moment.

Join Koun for a day which will frame our year of Tangible Thusness, exploring nyohō teachings and practice as a sangha throughout 2025.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Sanshin Network

Issan and European sanghas in Japan: Issan Koyama, a dharma heir of Okumura Roshi, coordinated with several European dharma heirs and organizations carrying out "sangha pilgrimage tours" in Japan between October and December this year. These travels included visits to Buddhist and historic sites in Tokyo, Kyōto, Fukui, Matsumoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Kamakura and Kōfu. Learn more at Issan's New York Zen Community for Dogen Study Facebook page.

Doryu, Issan, and Gyoetsu at Eiheiji.

Mokusho, Francoise & company at Muryoji.

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