Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi

Zen Mountain Monastery, 5/12/2019

Shugen Roshi officiates the Spring Jukai ceremony at Zen Mountain Monastery in which the following six students received the sixteen Buddhist precepts: Tess Kisei (“Noble Vow”) Edmonds, Richard Seigen (“Sacred Eye”) Mocciaro, Ian Joren (“Pure Undivided Truth”) Falcon, Bruce Getsudo (“Way of the Moon”) Glick, Christine Zuimon (“Auspicious Gate”) Fowle, Ellery Seifu (“Sacred Wind”) Eskelin.  As part of the ceremony Shugen Roshi offers teachings on the moral and ethical teachings of Zen Buddhism, and the particular challenges we face in living with, and through, these vows.

Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei

Zen Center of New York City, 05/12/2019

 

After invoking all mothers, Hojin Sensei turns to Iron Grindstone Liu, a formidable female teacher from the Zen tradition. Taking up an encounter between the Grindstone and her teacher, Guishan, Hojin implores us to consider—where is the true feast? Where is it ever, other than right here, right now?

Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei

Zen Center of New York City, 05/11/2019

 

Hojin Sensei in this dharma talk begins with a poem from Thomas Merton that encourages us to be silent and listen. She asks: Can we do this? How do we do this? Our lives are both listening and responding, and deep quiet of zazen practice can compliment and help balance our usual busy, active, responsive lives.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi Zen Mountain Monastery, 5/10/2019

Fusatsu 

This talk was given during the monthly Fusatsu Renewal of Vows ceremony. Shugen Roshi reminds us of the importance of examining our vows, our intentions, and asking what it means to practice them in all that we do. He leaves us with the question: how is the practice of a Bodhisattva the same as realizing emptiness? How are our daily lives interwoven with this?

Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei

Zen Center of New York City, 05/09/2019

Fusatsu

How does intention affect karma? Is intention the same as karma? Do we always have a choice? No choice? Some choice? Seeing intention can be very difficult. In this Fusatsu talk, Hojin Sensei explores the role of intention in our practice, framed by the theme of this Ango: Do wholesome action, refrain from unwholesome action, illuminate the mind.

 

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi Zen Mountain Monastery, 5/05/2019

Gateless Gate, Case 13

How do you direct your attention, how do you use your mind? A Zen koan, in the context of zazen in working with a teacher, can give you a way into the dharma, but each person must grapple with finding their way through. Shugen Roshi explores the spiritual energy of practice as the fuel which drives insight and compassion.

Ron Hogen Green, Sensei

Zen Center of New York City, 5/5/2019

Blue Cliff Record, Case 84 Hogen Sensei takes up the koan on Vimalakirti’s silence to examine non-duality. When asked about non-duality, what did Vimalakirti say? What would you say? If you answer with silence, you’re missing it.

Ron Hogen Green, Sensei

Zen Mountain Monastery, 4/28/2019

Dharma Encounter

Hogen Sensei explores the question of Wholesome and Unwholesome Action in this lively dharma encounter. Daily encounters present us with questions like: What is the right thing to do? What’s the intention and what karma am I creating? Or simply: where is the “me” in this?

 

Michael Yukon Grody, Senior Monastic Zen Center of New York City, 4/28/2019  

Yukon encourages us to move closer to the way things are, not the way we want them to be. This is easy to say but difficult to remember to do. We use the precepts to help guide us.

Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei

Zen Mountain Monastery, 04/26/2019

 

Uncertainty is the foundation of our lives. Can we be at home there? Practicing the limitless qualities of Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity, Not Harming, can help us live our lives as a continuous blossoming into the unknown.