One Bright Pearl

Rohatsu Sesshin is upon us here at Sanshinji. We will begin by having dinner together at 6:00pm and then meet again at 7:30pm for Okumura Roshi’s orientation talk. When he finishes sharing his words of encouragement, we will turn and face the wall, as the Buddha did all those years ago.
We sit a classic Uchiyama [...]

My life is not theoretical. It is real. In this life, at all times, all things are possible. Only I can obstruct myself. I have met many students of Zen over the years, and one thing that seems to be common, is the lack of belief in their own innate wisdom. As if what the [...]

the wind murmurs
ghosts
through gnarled limbs
this old pine
feels like home

this zazen
doesn’t belong to me
leaving it to itself
I don’t know what to think

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 [...]

Let people think whatever they may think. Let them even call you crazy. If you spend your whole life practicing in accordance with the Buddha-Way and refrain from what goes against the buddha-dharma, you needn’t worry about what people think of you. Tonsei, retreat from the world, means being free from the sentiments of worldly [...]

a life long mistake
begins to bloom
through no fault of my own
.

For just a moment
No one knew
Who was going beyond thought
.

The Samadhi of the Self accepting the Self as only the Self is known as Jijuyu Zanmai. Old Buddha Eihei presents this self fulfilling truth in his treatise Bendowa or Talk on Whole Hearted Practice of the Way. As an instruction for practice of the Way, it is supreme.
To actualize Jijuyu Zanmai, one must practice [...]

Moment by moment, we are taken away during our practice of zazen. Once taken away, we awaken to our true vitality. This is the entry way into the Buddha Dharma. This is zazens great function in the House of Eihei.
Zazen reveals Buddha Natures pervasive preaching that has been missed by our discriminating consciousness. Though missed, [...]