Tag: Gyokuko

Water is often used as a metaphor for Dharma. The choice to immerse ourselves completely or have a sip now and then is a personal one. How do we choose? How do we honor our own choice and the different choices others make? This talk was given on Sunday, June 26.

This last Sunday, in addition to our regular Sunday program, several people marched in the annual Pride Parade downtown. It was scheduled to step off at 11am, but because we were so far back in line, we didn’t actually start moving until 1:20pm, so people were able to come join us who had participated in… Read more »

Looking at Prajna Paramita (Great Perfect Wisdom) requires that we look at the difference between an acquired knowledge of ideas vs a dynamic knowledge of that which is. This talk was given on Sunday, May 22.

Editor’s Note: Gyokuko sent this letter to the governing councils. I’d like to give some advance notice to the temple leadership regarding the next step in our sangha’s process of succession. It’s a long and involved process which is part of how we ensure the spiritual vitality, social harmony and institutional longevity of our sangha.… Read more »

Keeping the Precepts can be challenging when decisions need to be made and disagreements arise, whether in the world of work or here in the temple. As the temple has grown, more and more of the needed work is done in meetings in committees. How do we apply Right Speech to our work? To what… 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 »

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.

Our annual Nehan Festival commemorates the parinirvana of the Buddha and his final teaching. This involves a special service in place of Full Morning Service. This year, Gyokuko gave the Dharma Talk associated with Nehan on February 8.

Sekkei Harada gives this advice in his lectures in a new book Unfathomable Depths, Drawing Wisdom for Today from a Classical Zen Poem. Let’s see if Gyokuko can draw any wisdom from that. This talk was given Sunday, January 11.

On October 12, Abbot Gyokuko Carlson took on a Zen koan that goes like this: Dogo and Zen-gen went to a house to show sympathy. Zen-gen hit the coffin and asked, “Alive or dead?” Dogo replied, “I won’t say alive, I won’t say dead.” Zen-gen demanded, “Why won’t you say?” Dogo repeated, “I won’t say.”… Read more »

What does Buddhism have to offer us on this turning of the seasons? Solstice is very significant in ancient cultures and earth based spirituality, but is it irrelevant to the followers of the Noble Eightfold Path? Gyokuko will explore the natural phenomena of solstice, equinox and the changing physical environment and how this fits the… Read more »

On April 6, 2014, co-abbot Gyokuko Carlson took a Dharmic look at the subject of prayer and how Zen Buddhists work with it. Listen to this talk.

From our Still Point Archives, February 1996 – by Gyokuko  Carlson I wanted to share with you this morning a phrase that I picked up earlier this month.  A very small phrase:  ‘A person of practice.’  It just hit my ear, and I wanted to bring it here, and give you some of my thoughts.  Of course, as… Read more »

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