Sangha News for May

5/15/2026

May 2026 - In this issue:

Commentaries & resources: Wind and clouds eating sesame cakes; Receiving a mentor's instruction; Sanshin Source, dharma talks & essays
From our directors: Spring fund appeal underway

Practice recap: Sewing retreats complete; Kesa Kudoku DSI complete; May work day
Coming up: June sesshin (register by May 26); Shuso ceremonies in June; Precepts retreat in July (register by June 23)

Other news: Temple Foundation Peace Grant for local food practice; Tangible Thusness e-book now available; Interview series with Okumura Roshi

== Commentaries & resources ==

Dōgen’s Chinese Poems (99)
Wind and Clouds Eating Sesame Cakes
Commentary by Shōhaku Okumura
108. Dharma Hall Discourse

Go beyond all previous buddhas and ancestors,
Not bound by south, north, east, or west.
Wind and clouds meet together and eat sesame cakes.
They strike sages and wise ones, hitting all equally.

In this poem, Dōgen uses the well-known kōan of “Unmon’s sesame cake (雲門餬餅, Unmon Kobyō).” This kōan appears in case 77 of The Blue Cliff Record (碧巌録, Hekiganroku) and also in case 78 of Book of Serenity (従容録, Shōyōroku). It concerns Yunmen Wenyan (雲門文偃, Jp. Unmon Bunen), 864–949. The case is short and simple:

A monk asked Yunmen, “What is talk transcending the buddhas and patriarchs?” Yunmen said, “Sesame cake.”[2]

Image of Yunmen by Hakuin Ekaku (白隠慧鶴) 1686 – 1768

“Sesame cake” is a translation of 餬餅 (糊餅or 胡餅, kobyō), a sesame-topped baked flat cake made of wheat flower that is rather ordinary, nothing special food.[3] The case in these texts is short, but the original Dharma hall discourse is one of the longer ones in the Extensive Record of Yunmen (雲門広録, Unmon Kōroku).[4] Let me introduce Yunmen’s discourse to understand what Yunmen meant and how Dōgen interprets “sesame cake.” Read more.

I Vow With All Beings:
Receiving a Mentor's Instruction
Commentary and artwork by Hoko Karnegis

RECEIVING A MENTOR’S INSTRUCTION,
I VOW WITH ALL BEINGS
TO BEAR MYSELF WITH DIGNITY
AND BE TRUTHFUL IN MY ACTIONS.

The elements of this gāthā point us back to one of the most central doctrines of the Sōtō Zen school: that both what we do and the way in which we do it are important. This is igi soku buppō, sahō kore shūshi 威儀即仏法, 作法是宗旨 (Dignified deportment is the Buddhadharma, and etiquette is the principle of our school). The two kanji used here in the gāthā for deportment 威儀 are the same igi, which has a sense of majesty. This is deportment that’s not just concerned with politeness and propriety, but with embodying an attitude that’s worthy of respect, upholding and carrying the dharma and the tradition in the world. Read more.

Other new resources on the web:

Sanshin source

What's new at Sanshin Source?

We've developed a page describing some of the dharma context and operational practicalities of our local food practice endeavors.
We've added links to relevant academic articles on our baika page and the Sawaki Nyoho-e Treasury.
There's a new entry on Tonen's blog, Thinking About Dharma.
There are monthly essays on the I Vow page.

Shuso dharma talk Recordings

Between April and July, most Sunday dharma talks will be given by this year's shuso (head student), Myogen Ahlstrom, as part of this year's ango (practice period).

April 19th: Myogen - Becoming the robe
April 26th: Myogen - Home-leaving, home-making, and living by vow
May 3rd: Myogen - Sambhogakaya: the joyous body, moment by. moment

The dharma reaches everywhere: an essay by Shinshu Roberts for soto zen North america

Every other month, supervising kyoshi affiliated with Soto Zen North America share teachings for the benefit of all practitioners:

The Dharma Reaches Everywhere - by Shinshu Roberts
On March 27th, Tassajara residents were awakened to the sight of the zendo engulfed in an inferno of flames. As a former resident of Tassajara, I have memories accumulated from several practice periods and three months as Shuso, and I am part of a larger Tassajara sangha of present and former residents, summer guests, and workers. Each of us carry memories of this building: oryoki meals, service, zazen, laughter, pain, Dharma talks, tangaryo, cleaning, and ceremony. Read more.

You can learn more about the recent Tassajara zendo fire, and/or donate to the recovery fund, here.

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

Those who wish are welcome to listen in on this month's meeting on Sunday, May 24th, from 7 - 8:30 pm ET, using the regular Zoom link on our virtual practice page.

== From our directors ==

Spring fund appeal 2026

donate

Raised so far (as of May 9th): $3577.81
Our goal (by June 22nd): $10,000

Spring fund appeal underway: Spring is a time for renewal, for maintaining our commitment to practice: to giving in many forms.

Sanshin Zen Community continues to grow in support of our shared practice and temple.

Please consider contributing to our Spring Fund, helping to raise $10,000 together this season.

With a deep bow of appreciation for your practice,

Mark Fraley, Reverend Tonen O’Connor, Norma Fogelberg, Gene Elias
Sanshin Zen Community’s Development Team

== Practice recap ==

Sewing Retreats complete: In mid-April, this year's cohort of four kaitei (precepts recipients), along with a few others sewing okesa, came together for a second 4-day rakusu sewing retreat under Esho's steady guidance.

The kaitei will formally receive their rakusu from Hoko during the jukai-e ceremony at the conclusion of this July's precepts retreat (see retreat details and registration info below).

Virtual dharma study intensive: About eighty practitioners from around the country and the world participated in the most recent virtual dharma study intensive, during which Okumura Roshi offered ten lectures on Dogen's Kesa Kudoku, completing the commentary that he began last fall.

Stay tuned for details about two related lectures that Okumura Roshi will offer in the near future about the nyoho-e (Buddha's robe in accord with dharma) tradition as it has developed within Soto Zen.

May work day: On a relatively cool but sunny Sunday, May 10th, practitioners gathered for our monthly work day. Hosshin led activities around erecting our new front drive entry sign, Myogen mowed the lawn, Esho weeded and planted flower beds, and Erik, a friend of the temple, helped us graft branches onto one of the persimmon trees on the grounds, in hopes that it will bear fruit in the coming years. At the vegetable garden, Sawyer and Reghan planted donated pepper starts, hilled potatoes, and weeded. Our next work day is scheduled for Sunday, June 14th.

Three female "scions" of Japanese-American persimmon trees were grafted onto the "root stock" of the male persimmon (which produces pollen, but no fruit) already in place.

Hosshin strikes a pose with the new sign he installed at the driveway entry to Sanshin. He also helped to design the sign, which was painted by local sign-maker Hollis Austin.

Sawyer, caught on camera taking newsletter photos...

== Coming up ==

5-day June sesshin -- register by May 26th
June 2 - 7

This year's 5-day June sesshin will be carried out as part of our three-month practice period, or ango. During the ango, a shuso, or head novice, serves as an apprentice teacher in order to develop leadership skills as Soto Zen clergy. While Hoko will lead the sesshin, our shuso, Myogen Ahlstrom, will also serve as a model of practice in the zendo for the community. Learn more & register.

Shuso ceremonies in June: As the ango continues, Myogen will be working with a koan (case) from the Shoyoroku, or Book of Serenity. Hoko will give a lecture on it during the honsoku gyocha (June 20, 7 pm) and Myogen will answer formal questions about it from the sangha during the shuso hossen (June 21, 10 am). It will be possible for both in-person and virtual participants to ask a formal question about the case during the shuso hossen. The koan, "Changsha advancing a step," and its associated verse, is now posted to our Ango with Myogen page.

Myogen's haiku about the zendo circumambulation he makes each morning as shuso, with all beings for company.

5-day precepts retreat -- register by June 23rd
June 30 - July 5
Public Jukai-e ceremony on Sunday, July 5, 10 am, followed by potluck lunch

Registration is now open for our annual precepts retreat, focusing on the study of the sixteen bodhisattva precepts that we receive as guidelines for living a life of practice in the Soto Zen tradition. The daily schedule includes zazen, presentations from the preceptor and ensuing group discussions, work periods, and silent formal meals. A precepts ceremony (jukai-e) is held during the last day of the retreat, during which those receiving the precepts will make their vows and receive a dharma name and a rakusu, or small robe, which they will have sewn beforehand.

This year, Hoko's lectures and the ensuing discussions will address the nature of ethics and morality in general, of which the precepts are specific manifestations.

Practitioners who are not taking precepts this year are also very welcome and encouraged to register to participate in-person for all or a selection of days. Virtual participation in scheduled zazen and discussion periods is also available. Learn more & register by June 23rd.

== Other news ==

The Temple Foundation

Temple Foundation Peace Grant awarded to Sanshin: Over the past few years here at Sanshin, we've made an effort to source a significant portion of the food involved in our practice activities from the local community in and around Bloomington, Indiana, where our temple is located. Last September, Sanshin was awarded a grant from the Temple Foundation, funding staff time put toward coordinating food practice activities at Sanshin, from soil to oryoki bowls and back.

As part of this project, Sawyer (who coordinates local farm partnerships and the sangha vegetable garden as Sanshin's operations manager) compiled a resource page on what we're calling local food practice, describing our endeavors at the intersection of Buddhist food traditions and modern contexts. The practicalities and dharma context surrounding these activities as carried out at Sanshin are offered as points of reference and encouragement for our own and other sanghas, practitioners, and communities of spiritual practice aspiring to engage in similar explorations in various contexts. Learn more.

Interview series: The first module of an interview with Okumura Roshi by Interior Mythos Journeys from this past January has been released. More modules will be released in the coming months.

Tangible Thusness now available: In this e-book, published through our Dogen Institute, Hoko Karnegis introduces the Soto Zen Buddhist practice of nyoho and guides readers though three aspects: clothing, food, and shelter. Nyoho’s roots are traced from the Vinaya though Kodo Sawaki Roshi into the present. With chapters from Koun Franz, Sawyer Jisho Hitchcock, and Hosshin Shoaf. Learn more & purchase a copy.

Are we reaching you?

Do we have the best and most current contact information for you? If you've changed your e-mail address or moved to a new place of residence, or if we've never had complete information about how to reach you, it's time to update your record. Please take a moment to go here to send us the contact information you'd like us to use. We'll check it against your current record and update as needed. Don't miss any of the upcoming communications from Sanshin -- update your info today!

Our spring fund appeal is underway: 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!