"The Practice of the Wild"

'The Practice of the Wild' is a film profile of the poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Gary Snyder. Snyder has been a creative force in all the major cultural changes that have created the modern world. Along with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, he was a central figure of the Beat generation. He helped bring Zen Buddhism into the America scene, was an active participant in the anti-war movement and an inspiration for the quest for human potential. All along he was a founding intellect, essayist and leader of the new environmental awareness that supports legislation and preservation without losing sight of direct wild experience -- local people, animals, plants, watersheds and food sources.

This film, borrowing its name from one of Snyder's most eloquent non-fiction books, revolves around a life-long conversation between Snyder and his fellow poet and novelist Jim Harrison. These two old friends and venerated men of American letters converse while taking a wilderness trek along the central California coast in an area that has been untouched for centuries. They debate the pros and cons of everything from Google to Zen koans. The discussions are punctuated by archival materials and commentaries from Snyder friends, observers, and intimates who take us through the 'Beat' years, the years of Zen study in Japan up to the present -- where Snyder continues to be a powerful spokesperson for ecological sanity and bio-regionalism.

Yeongsanjae

A central element of Korean Buddhist culture, Yeongsanjae is a re-enactment of Buddha’s delivery of the Lotus Sutra on the Vulture Peak in India, through which philosophical and spiritual messages of Buddhism are expressed and people in attendance develop self-discipline. Yeongsanjae begins with a ritual reception for all the saints and spirits of heaven and earth and concludes with a farewell ritual representing manners of the otherworldly realm of Buddha, with singing, ceremonial adornment and varied ritual dances such as the cymbal dance, drum dance and ceremonial robe dance. The other components include a ritual cleansing, a tea ceremony, the dedication of a rice meal to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, a sermon inviting the audience to the door of truth and a ritual meal for the dead to congratulate them on their entry into heaven. Preserved chiefly by the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism based in Seoul, the Yeongsanjae is held in temples throughout the Republic of Korea to help all beings enter the world of truth by worshipping and admiring the Buddha and his laws and monks. The ceremony serves as an important space for transmission of values and art forms and for meditation, training and enlightenment.

Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight

Thanks to Greg LeBlanc, SDPS for this link, I have seen her on Charlie Rose but I thought I'd share this with everyone.


Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions -- motion, speech, self-awareness -- shut down one by one. An astonishing story.


About Jill Bolte Taylor


Brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor studied her own stroke as it happened -- and has become a powerful voice for brain recovery.

The Ocean Eyes Zen Center

Ocean Eyes Zen Center started as an idea that appeared to me during practice one day in Los Angles during  early 1991. Zen Master Seung Sahn was visiting Dharma Zen Center and was asked by the abbot Muryang Sunim to be available for morning interviews. I was living in Huntington Beach at the time but was working as the Plant Manager of a large manufacturing in Vernon, California. My work was about a fifteen minute drive from Dharma Zen Center so I would get up very early and drive to the center and arrive at about 5 am for morning practice. It was good for me because at 4 am there was no traffic on the LA Freeways, so I could arrive there in less than an hour and after practice I could go to work without dealing with the LA Freeways. I had been doing this for a few years and practicing with Zen Master Seung Sahn, and his Dharma Heir Robert Moore, JDPSN who eventually became Zen Master Jibong. Anyway, this particular morning I thought that if I had a Zen Center in Huntington Beach my life might be a bit simpler. I entered the interview room with Zen Master Seung Sahn and he said to me, “how are you, do you have any questions?” I was nervous, but I said to him, Sŏnsa-nim I would like to open a Zen Center in Huntington Beach, what do you think?’ He answered me, ‘When will it open?’ and then we engaged in our kōan work.

This was his support of my idea. ‘When will it open.’ How simple, no checking, no expectations, no engagement about how and when and why, just ‘when will it open?’ This is the essence of Seung Sahn’s lineage, a simple and supportive approach to the Dharma. I worked on it and eventually on August 13^th of 1993 I finally had everything in place. Zen Master Seung Sahn came with Musang Sunim and Muryang Sunim and a few of the students from LA. I had many friends who were there and a contingent of Bagwan Rajnish followers showed up. Bob Moore, JDPSN could be not there, who was our guiding teacher, so because of this Seung Sahn made the trip out to Orange County to do the ceremony because Bob wasn’t able to attend and my close friend Musang Sunim, feeling my disappointment,  asked Sŏnsa-nim  at the last minute if he could fill in. Sŏnsa-nim was so honored to do the ceremony, he was like a grandfather to me once he arrive and took me into one of the bedrooms so he could guide me in what needed to happen for the ceremonies to follow in the Korean Tradition. He even wrote his Dharma Talk in Korean/Chinese on the back of the ceremony booklet, I still have this document and value it immensely.

There was a guest book I had set out for all the guests who visited the Zen Center and was filled in for about seven years after the opening before it was completely filled up. The point I would like to make is that when Sŏnsa-nim signed the guest book he signed in as SSN (this was his signature until he became Daesŏnsanim when he started signing as DSSN) and in the field where the book asked for your address (so we at the Zen Center could contact you in the future) he wrote ‘the universe.’ I was so blessed by Zen Master Seung Sahn‘s presence and he also decided to performed the ceremony of installing me as the Abbot of the Zen Center which touched me deeply.

Zen Master Seung Sahn said at that time that this Zen Center which I and Carlos Montana and Robert Fittro had built was ‘better than a ten year old Zen center’ and this really touched my heart. We were originally opened as the Huntington Beach Zen Center, and on our first anniversary I asked Sŏnsa-nim to give us a Korean name for the center, he named us Haean Sŏnwon that means Ocean Eyes Zen Center.  He attended another three anniversary ceremonies before saying that anymore were not necessary. From the point that the Zen Center opened he always referred to me as “Great Abbot” any time I would meet him. I can tell you that I never felt more love from someone outside of family, as I felt from my teacher.

Yangtze

I traveled to China during the SAR's Epidemic in 2004 because I had a trip scheduled down the Yangtze River. It was one month before the initial flooding of the river due to the Three Gorges Dam initial closing. I felt it important that I view the three gorges as it was in all the famous paintings from the past. There were no tourists (almost) during this trip. The picture shows our boat that we booked, (it is the boat in the background) and there were only 13 guests on the boat. They asked if any of us wanted to upgrade our rooms, I ended up booking the Presidential Suite which was the lower 3 windows plus the entire front of the boat for $40. I must say that sitting out on my private patio and soaking in my hot tub made the trip all the more interesting. 

Zen 2009 Dogen Movie

I gave myself a treat last night after finishing my year end Book Keeping and the Corporate Taxes for my Business and all of our partners and watched the movie "Zen" which is about the life of the great Soto Master Dogen. Takahashi’s Zen (2009) not only gives you an opportunity to learn about a clear-cut history of Zen Buddhism in Japan in just over two hours, but also captivates you with unsullied spiritual insights.

I must say that I am always up for any movie about Buddhism and especially Zen Buddhism, yet I seem to be always disappointed. I must say that I enjoyed the movie at times, but as is the case with many of these endeavors, it seems that the producers seem to attach to romantic engagements rather than accurate representations of history. When Dogen visited China in search of his authentic Zen Teacher I found it strange that all of the Chinese Monks, including his future teacher, all wore Japanese Robes. Also, the temples he visits in China all have a Japanese flair and look nothing like any of the Chinese Temples I have visited all over China over the last 15 years.

It isn't a huge shortcoming, not as much as the CGI shorts which were meant to represent Dogen's Awakening experiences. They were more like shorts from an LSD trip or even an early 1960's representation of transcendence, anyway I could have lived without the visual references which will just serve to make people think that enlightenment has something to do with flying across the universe on a giant Lotus Flower.

There is also a weird reference to a story that is originally attributed to Sakyamuni Buddha about a young woman who's son is dying. He tells her to visit all the houses and find some mustard seeds collected from homes where they have not experienced death. It is common for Zen Teachers to use these old analogies to teach student, but I have never read that Dogen used this specific teaching. There is enough history on this seminal figure that the writers could have discovered something more of a personal insight that Dogen gave us.

There is too much use of the "E" word (enlightenment) in the movie as if it really exists. Teachers don't address this directly, and even if it does exist the experience isn't contained in the word.

The scene where Dogen passes into Nirvana (he dies in the Dharma Room) and everyone continues sitting in meditation after knowing their master has died is just too much for me to handle. If meditation means that we lose our original job then I am not interested in that type of practice.

The movie is worth watching, and I recommend it. Just see it for what it is, a romanticized view of a very seminal figure in the advancement of the Dharma. Some of the Cinematography is wonderful and some of the Dharma talks are inspiring. Anyway, you must find your own opinion on the movie.

Interesting Japanese Rapping Monk

Zen Monk Hip-Hop Rap & the Monk Bar in Japan


January 22, 2010 — Authentic Zen Buddhist monks use some new twists to appeal to young Japanese. How about discussing Dharma over Heaven & Hell cocktails. From CNN & cnn.com

Korean Buddhist Art

AsianArtMuseum — May 22, 2009 — Documents the creation of a Buddhist Painting by the Buddhist nun artist, Seol Min, who has dedicated her life to keeping the tradition of Buddhist Painting alive.

Bodhi Dharma Action Figure

Well now I have seen everything, and I am not sure about all the poses they show as none of them have in a seated meditation pose and not sure if he can actually sit that way. Too bad they didn't have and cushion accessories or perhaps even the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. Anyway, here is what they say about it. 

LEGENDS: BODHI DHARMA 12 INCH COLLECTIBLE FIGURE

While many legends exist, few can dispute that Bodhi Dharma is the founder of Zen Buddhism in China and Japan. The son of a wealthy Brahman king of Southern India, Dharma traveled east to Southern China to preach the teachings of zen. He eventually crossed the Yangtze River and continued north until he arrived at a small monastery called the Shaolin Temple.

Monks at the Shaolin Temple were peaceful and did not practice martial arts. Dharma’s emphasis on self-enlightenment and strength introduced radical preset forms of martial arts to the monastery. Hailed as the father of the Han Shaolin Fist, Bodhi Dharma has been long recognized as one of the most significant influences in Chinese martial arts as we know – establishing the Shaolin Temple as the revered martial arts epicenter of the world.

Triad Toys is proud to debut the much anticipated Legends line with Bodhi Dharma. The Legends series is Triad’s unique take on mythical and legendary heroes. This product line is one of our longest running passion projects that we want to see produced. Every character is envisioned with the same style and quality you’ve come to love about Triad Toys. No detail is left out of this figure – his clothes are meticulously designed with multiple layers and choice fabrics, he comes with four (4) pairs of hands for all the kung-fu poses you can possibly imagine, his headsculpt is wildly imaginative and hand-painted to perfection, his weapon utilizes the ATAC system and converts into five different weapons! To guarantee the highest level of detail and collectability, Dharma is a limited production of only 400 pieces worldwide!

Well I guess that is what happens when two traditions share the same Icon. Preorder yours today at Triad Toys. 

A Special Transmission

What is ‘not dependent on words and speech’ and ‘a separate transmission apart from the teachings’? Chán Master Huángbò said, “When you attain this point, you will realize that Bodhidharma’s coming from the West, directly pointing to your mind, seeing your true nature and attaining enlightenment cannot be contained in words.”

Directly seeing your mind and attaining enlightenment is the function Chán Buddhism, this has sometimes been stated as, “Directly pointing at the human heart/mind and seeing our true nature and becoming Buddha.” Chán Buddhism exists outside of all language and constructs. The authentic Buddha-dharma cannot be put into one at a time thought symbols. This is the practical content that transcends the scriptures and steps forth towards an ineffable world of enlightenment without obstruction where we can see our true nature and become Buddha.

Here the most important aspect of practice is directly pointing at and seeing our mind, and if we can see our mind that is seeing nature and becoming Buddha there is no use of concept and metaphor. However, because Bodhidharma’s four phrases that consist of “not establishing words and letters, a separate transmission outside of the teachings, directly pointing at the human heart/mind, seeing our nature and becoming Buddha,” are the common foundations that present the true face of Chán, they are joined together. These four phrases were expressed in one standard verse in the recorded sayings, the Zuting shiyuan composed by Chán Master Muan Shànqíng: "When the Ancestors transmitted the Dharma, at first they did so together with the Tripiṭaka (three collections) of Sutra, Vinaya and Śāstra, yet Bodhidharma after transmitting the mind only, tried to remove attachment and clarify the fundamental meaning. This is what we call the transmission of the teaching not dependant on words and speech, directly point to the heart/mind, and seeing our true nature.” 

The teaching of a “special transmission outside of the scriptures and not establishing words and speech” shows us that Chán is the practice of seeing the moon in spite of the finger. In this a Chán practitioner transcends the limits that binds to the finger and thereby cannot see the moon. We must directly enter into this core without hesitation.

Historical accounts of Chán Master Danxia burning the Buddha-statues to keep warm or Chán Master Deshān burning the sutras are only found within the tradition of Chán Buddhism. This is the state of beyond the bounds that transcends the frame of thought; additionally, despite being transmitted outside of the scriptures, does not infer that ignoring the scriptures is thereby correct. Here the words, “outside of the scriptures” means do not be attached to the letters in the scriptures. Actually, this is because for a person who sees the moon, all things become the truth.

Chán is awakening to our original mind which precedes thoughts and concepts. It is not explanation or a method of understanding, but directly seeing the true reality of the mind as it is. If we see clearly, we are enlightened at that moment. As a means of directly pointing to that which we cannot understand, generations of Ancestors used Chán dialogues, twisted noses, slapped cheeks, shouting wildly and striking students with their staffs. Kānhuà Chán stands in the tradition of not establishing anything within the realm of concept or construct.

Dàhuì prior to his understanding

　　Dàhuì’s training prospered at Bǎofēng Monastery.  He soon was treated as a senior student and assigned teaching duties, at which he excelled.  Toward the end of Dàhuì’s stay at Jewel Peak, Zhàntáng called the younger monk to him and made the following comment:

“Senior monk Gao, you understood my Chán at once.  When I ask you to explain it, you explain it well.  When I ask you to hold up stories of the ancients and comment on them in prose (nián gǔ拈古), or make up verses commenting on the sayings of the masters of old (sòng gǔ頌古), to give instructions to the monks (xiǎo cān小參), or to give sermons (pǔ shuō普說, lit general instructions), you also do all these things well. There is only one thing that is not right.  Do you know what it is?”

Dàhuì replied, “What is it I do not know?”

Zhàntáng said, “Katz! You lack this one release.  If you do not obtain this one release, when I am speaking with you in my quarters, there is Chán, but the minute you leave my quarters, there is none.  When you are awake and thinking, there is Chán, but when you are asleep, and then there is none.  If you are like this, then how are you going to defeat samsara?”

Dàhuì replied, “This is exactly what I have doubts about.”  However, he did not receive Dharma-transmission at that time, and in 1115, when Dàhuì was twenty-seven by Chinese reckoning, Zhàntáng died.

Dàhuì kept trying, so we should too.