One Bright Pearl

A large, spacious room, unfolded before me. It seemed to be part of a rustic lodge, with beautiful blonde ash woodwork, framing a grand window, that looked out upon a natural mountain vista.
Outside the window, a herd of ancient buffalo, or perhaps muskox, munched placidly in a high alpine meadow. I noticed that their coats [...]

Wind roars through the cracked window. Brisk cold air sharpens the senses. At seventy miles an hour, the highway greets this old monk with horizon upon horizon. One line, then another, trace away into the distance. Glancing behind, through a rearview mirror, the withered trees march backwards. Hands firmly grip the steering wheel, holding steady. [...]

While meeting an Old Buddha, a question was posed thus, “Sri Ramana Maharshi states - That which is not found in deep dreamless sleep is not real. What practice is available to realize this within your school?”
Old Buddha Gentei responded, “”When you are driving your car, how do you manifest your Buddha nature?”
Exactly! Ineffability expresses [...]

The only question that has ever mattered to me is - “Who am I?” This one question has always seemed to be the main knowledge, the ultimate knowledge, the one answer that resolves all other questions about meaning, purpose, relationship to myself and others.
So what have I discovered through this questioning? More than anything, I [...]

At every turn I am obstructed. In the ordinary sense, my way forward is blocked. Living homeless in America is no easy thing. And yet, dropping my obstruction, life is just this - no obstruction. All I can do is live this obstruction today. As a reminder to my self I thought that I would [...]

what can I say
struggling like this
it is only
hanging from a tree
grasping at nothing
choking on bark
revealed!

Like a complete unknown, that’s how it feels. It doesn’t deter or sway me. Being homeless is not that big a deal when you have a direction to go, a deep intention carrying your load.
At this time I live in a tent on the property of Sanshin Zen Community. I have use of the kitchen [...]