By Treeleaf Zendo
Dharma talks by Jundo Cohen & others from Treeleaf Zendo
Today's Talk will honor portions of Master Dogen's "Instructions for the Cook," a celebration of 'Samu' Work Practice and all our duties in life. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:October 5th-6th, 2018 - OUR...
Today's Talk will reflect on a portion of Master Dogen's 'Shobogenzo-Jukai' as we commence our Jukai and Ango Season for this year. In the Western Heavens and the Eastern Lands, wherever the transmission has passed between Buddhist patriarchs, at the beginning...
(Reigetsu) Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She is the author of a number of books about Buddhism, including the humor book The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi and This Is...
The Talk this time will be on "Book of Equanimity" Koans we have recently danced in our "No Words Book Club." These are available to read on our current Book Club thread at: https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?55-BEYOND-WORDS-LETTERS-BOOK-CLUB-TREELEAF-ART-CIRCLE CASE 76: Shuzan's Three Verses CASE 77: Kyôzan:...
We will finish this series of talks on a text by Dogen which is not so commonly the topic of Dharma Talks, but which contains a detailed record of Dogen's own lessons and interactions with his Teacher in China, Master...
On Sunday May 6th, Soto Priest and famed former "Tenzo" (Head Cook) at the Tassajara Zen Monastery Rev. Edward Espe Brown offered a very special Zazenkai and Talk, live from California and Treeleaf Tsukuba. Edward Espe Brown, a Soto Zen Buddhist...
Our Zazenkai today is in CELEBRATION of BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY, traditionally APRIL 8th in Japan. Today's Talk will dance with Dharma Hall Discourses by Master Dogen in Celebration of the Buddha's Birthday (from the Eihei Koroku, trans. Leighton and Okumura). We also CELEBRATE the Dharma...
I thought that we might spend a few months with the text, taking it a few pages at a time. Not all the advice is something one need agree with in modern times, maybe (based on his own later Teachings)...
Today's Talk is based on the Sandokai (Identity of Relative & Absolute) that we chant each month. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:February 2nd-3rd, 2018 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »
We continue this series of talks on a text by Dogen which is not so commonly the topic of Dharma Talks, but which contains a detailed record of Dogen's own lessons and interactions with his Teacher in China, Master Tiāntóng...
Our Reading Text for Today's Talk: Hokyoki (Journal of My Study In China) by Master Eihei Dogen - Part II (Pages 8 to 12). We continue this series of talks on a text by Dogen which is not so commonly...
For today's Metta (Loving Kindness) Recital, in the section of offering Metta to people difficult in our lives or in this world, I will be offering in my heart to "people like Stephen Paddock", the man who killed 58 people,...
I feel that 80% of Shikantaza teachers these days are teaching only 80% of Shikantaza ("Just Sitting" Zazen). The wind is often left out of Shikantaza's sails. The point of Shikantaza is an action done for such action's sake, with...
In Japan today, it is O-Higan (お彼岸), a holiday in Japanese Buddhism celebrated at the Spring and Fall Equinox. It is said that the etymology of the name, the "other shore", is from "the other shore of the Sanzu River"...
A little homework assignment for you, an experiment to help you discover the power of this Practice to change life. It is something to try even if you are new to this Practice, or if you have a lot of...
Today is the Beginingless Beginning of our Jukai and Ango Season. Especially for our Ango participants, and for anyone, a short Talk on the meaning of the 'True Ango' that has 'No Obstacles' and nothing ever to interfere ... and...
Having returned from my own travels by plane, car and train, I thought to begin a series of talks on a text by Dogen which is not so commonly the topic of Dharma Talks, but which contains a detailed record...
Buddhist meditation has commonly been considered an instrumental technique aimed at obtaining a heightened mental or spiritual state, or even as a method for inducing some dramatic "enlightenment" experience. But in some branches of the Zen tradition, Zazen (Zen seated...
Our Talk this Month is "What I Know about the Ino" (the Supervisor of Monks) ... a monastic office, but not that far from our own lives, jobs and family duties ... It is from Master Dogen's "Pure Standards for...
We are calling on ALL of our Treeleaf Members and friends to Vow to undertake one extra, special 'Good Deed' each day (besides all the Good you already do!) and dedicate this to our Sangha. This is a manifestation of our...
A special Zazenkay and talk by guest speaker David Loy. David Robert Loy is a professor, writer, and Zen teacher in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition of Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is a prolific author, whose essays and books have been...
The Talk this time will look at the Heart of the Heart of the Heart Sutra, form and emptiness in a nutshell ... We will reflect on the wording of the Heart Sutra as we chant for Zazenkai in English most...
Our talk is about the zen poems of the Great Fool: Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831). This famous hermit monk lived a simple life but rich in practice and reverence for the present moment. After leaving the monastery he spent his life helping...
How does our Zen Practice blend with taking a stand? Do we stay "beyond the fray" or speak out for what is right? I have been wrestling with this lately, like many folks. I have advocated leaving "politics" outside the...
WELCOME to our Memorial & Celebration of NEHAN-E, (Pari-Nirvana) the traditional day to mark the historical Buddha's death and passing from this visible world. This is also a day for each of us to remember in our homes those family...
This talk looks at aspects of the wording and content of our upcoming Jukai "Undertaking The Precepts" Ceremony, to be held next week ... Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:January 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR...
The past year has seen its ups and downs ... a lot of downs it seems. Next year will likely be so too. (And the year after that!) This is the roller coaster of life. Do you know the still and...
To Commence Jundo's month-long travels & pilgrimage to India, this talk is on Satsangs the Bhagavad-gītā (and various Zen Teachings on India). Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:November 4th-5th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour...
Koans for this talk are from The Book of Serenity: CASE 67 - THE FLOWER GARLAND SUTRA’S WISDOM, and CASE 68 - KYUHO’S HEAD AND TAIL. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:October 7th-8th, 2016...
When I began Zazen this morning, I felt so bad ... and then I didn't. The problems remained, but now filled with clarity, light, peace, compassion, equanimity, allowing ... No "I" and no "problem" remained ... even as the problems...
Koans for this talk are from The Book of Serenity: CASE 62 - Biko's No Enlightenment, CASE 63 - Joshu Asks About [Great] Death, CASE 64 - Shisho's Transmission, and CASE 65 - Shuzan's New Bride. Further reading and discussion for...
Koans for this talk are from The Book of Serenity: CASE 58 - The Diamond Sutra's Reviling, CASE 59 - Seirin's Deadly Snake, CASE 60 - Ryutetsuma's Old Cow, and CASE 61 - Kempo's One Stroke. Further reading and discussion for...
We continue a series of talks on the Buddhist "Paramitas" (Virtues) which aid in our engaged and charitable work in the world. Today ... Verve, Vigor, Energy! ... In Sanscrit, this is called the Virya Paramita ... which comes from the...
Who is a Zen Priest ... and how to nurture their Training? And who perhaps is not? These are difficult questions, especially in our little Sangha. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:SIT-A-LONG...
Koans for this talk are from The Book of Serenity: CASE 54 - Ungans Great Compassionate One, CASE 55 - Seppo the Rice Cook, CASE 56 - Mishi's White Rabbit, and CASE 57 - Genyo's One Thing. Further reading and discussion...
Koans for this talk are from The Book of Serenity:CASE 51: Hogen's "By Boat or Land"CASE 52: Sozan's DharmakayaCASE 53: Obaku's DregsCASE 54: Ungans Great Compassionate OneFurther reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: June 3rd-4th,...
We continue a series of talks on the Buddhist "Paramitas" (Virtues) which aid in our engaged and charitable work in the world. Today ... PATIENCE ...We can be diligent and energetic in our efforts, seeking a good outcome ... yet...
TODAY'S SITTING MARKS OUR CELEBRATION OF TREELEAF'S 10th ANNIVERSARY!Shōbōgenzō Ikka-no-myōju by Master Dogen One Bright Pearl In [this] sahā world, in the great kingdom of Song [China, there lived] Great Master [Gensha]. One day [while still a young monk, a student of...
Today's Talk is dedicated to a fellow who historically got a bad rap. It is also shows how much our Shikantaza Zazen ways resonate with the Teachings of the ancient Masters in the earliest days of Zen ... Heshang Moheyan (和尚摩訶衍))...