Tag: Dharma Talk
Buddha saw that attachment led to suffering, and taught equanimity as an antidote. He was deeply committed to this effort. It’s easy to lose the deep commitment when we’re trying to lose the attachment. On Sunday we’ll look at how we relate to and practice equanimity, and how the likely mistakes and appropriate corrections look… Read more »
The Eihei Shingi, rules for the monastery at Eiheiji formulated by Dogen centuries ago, outlines six temple officers. We follow Dogen’s example, with some modifications. Gyokuko emphasizes the interconnected web of respect and responsibility that makes it all work here for us. Come and find out something about Dharma Rain’s unique flavor. This talk was… Read more »
The Buddha encouraged his followers to choose wholesome companionship, and to stay away from unwholesome people. What does this mean? The people with whom we spend our time will always have an influence on us – but we can’t always choose them. How do we navigate family and work environments? How do we bow to… Read more »
It is a frequent modern lament that our lives feel packed with competing demands and are complicated to the point of overwhelm. For lay Buddhists, this can seem like far cry from Buddha’s example of living with only a robe and a begging bowl. Zen rituals distill teachings down to their essence and focus the… Read more »
We all endure many things small and large, from summer heat to the death of loved ones. Kshanti, a Sanskrit term sometimes translated as Patience, is one of the six Paramitas, or Perfections in Buddhism. Sometimes patience gets a bad rap for being passive. How can it lead us to perfection? How does it relate… Read more »
We all share a yearning to feel harmony within ourselves, with our relations, and with the situation around us. We find as we try to express this yearning that the sense of congruence and alignment comes and goes. Stepping onto this path of practice we notice and gradually shift behaviors so that that congruence happens… Read more »
Jiko talked about the 10,000-year clock, the problem of nuclear waste, why we plant trees and what it means to let go of goals in this talk about time, effort, and the future. This talk was on Sunday, June 28.
Many Zen masters speak of “Don’t Know Mind.” What is this Don’t Know? What do we know, how do we know it, and does it matter? This talk was given Sunday, June 21.
When we’ve tasted the benefits of something that we care about, it’s normal to want to get more of it or make it work better. In the practice sphere, this impulse can show up as trying to figure out the right way to practice: What are the key ingredients to produce compassion, wisdom, equanimity? (And… Read more »
Here are some photos from Sunday, May 31. Sunday we watched the traditional year-end Dharma School skits, where the children share something of what they have learned in the past year. This takes the place of the Dharma Talk, and is always a lot of fun. Here are Manjushri riding the lion, the “beast of… Read more »
A few years ago Kyogen and Getsushin led a conversation about our prison program as a Dharma Talk. It’s time for an update, as the program has been growing through significant changes since then. It is a program that operates largely unseen by most of the sangha other than those volunteers directly involved with it.… Read more »
There are many beings in our lives who remain invisible. This past week, we have been sitting sesshin in honor of our ancestral lineage – invisible beings whose importance to us is sometimes difficult to understand. How do we explain and explore – and pay homage to – the unseen forces around us? This talk… Read more »
Gyokuko talked about the booklet, “Zen Training in Community.” How do we live in sangha together? What is my responsibility to seniors and/or juniors? What happens if I think someone is out of line? This talk was given Sunday, May 10.
Wesak is the festival of Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth. This is a precious time when the entire sangha – adults and kids, parents and those without children – celebrates together. The children meet before the Wesak ceremony to decorate a bower with flowers. This becomes shelter for a statue of the baby buddha placed in front… Read more »
Many Zen metaphors point to the insubstantiality of reality and our attempts to fix it. Zen practice offers a kind of clarity and centeredness to one’s life that comes from a lots of determined looking at what is. But all that looking doesn’t tell us what it is, in fact, it does quite the opposite.… Read more »
Twice a year, the sangha has an opportunity to hear from our governing bodies, to ask questions and give feedback. The spring forum is primarily sponsored by the Dharma Council, giving updates on classes and programs. The Board will also report on where we are in our multiple transitions. Have questions about the progress on… Read more »