June 2016 Zazenkai Talk (Cases from the Book of Serenity)

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, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

April 2016 Zazenkai Talk (TREELEAF'S 10th ANNIVERSARY!)

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 Master Seppo], in order to explore widely the surrounding districts, he leaves the mountain, carrying a [traveling] bag. But as he does so, he stubs his toe on a stone. Bleeding and in great pain, [Gensha] all at once seriously reflects as follows: “[They say] this body is not real existence. Where does the pain come from?” He thereupon returns to Seppō. Seppō asks him, “What is it, [tough guy]?” Gensha says, “In the end I just cannot be deceived by others.” Seppō, loving these words very much, says, “Is there anyone who does not have these words [inside them]? [But] is there anyone who can speak these words?” Seppō asks further, “Why do you not go exploring?” [Gensha] says, “Bodhidharma did not come to the Eastern Lands [of China]; the Second Patriarch did not go to the Western Heavens [of India].” Seppō praised this very much.
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:
April 1st-2nd, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI for TREELEAF'S 10th ANNIVERSARY! »

May 2016 Zazenkai Talk (Heshang Moheyan (和尚摩訶衍))

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)) was a late 8th century Chan monk (Chan is the Chinese name for Zen). He became famous for representing Chan in the so called "Council of Lhasa," a debate held in Tibet between adherents of the Indian teachings of "gradual enlightenment" and the Chinese teachings of "sudden enlightenment," which according to tradition was won by the "gradual teachings", causing Moheyan and all Chan Teachings to be expelled from Tibet. However, recent research has disclosed that the story is not so simple, and may represent a rewriting of history and what actually happened by those later advocating the esoteric teachings we now know as Tibetan Buddhism. It is now known that Moheyan and Chan Teachings were very influential and widely accepted in long ago Tibet for a long time before they were purged.
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:May 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

March 2016 Zazenkai Talk (Shobogenzo - Kokū (Space - 虚空))

Because “this place is where something ineffable exists,” it is through the realization of these words that Buddhist patriarchs are caused to be. And because the realization of these words of Buddhist patriarchs passes naturally from rightful successor to rightful successor, the skin, flesh, bones, and marrow, realized as “a whole body,” are “hanging in space.” This space is beyond such categories as the twenty kinds of space [such as inside, outside, over, below, etc.]. In general, how could space be limited to only twenty kinds of space. There are eighty-four thousand kinds of space, and there may be countless more besides.
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:March 4th-5th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

February 2016 Zazenkai Talk (SPECIAL "NEHAN-E" 4-hour ZAZENKAI!)

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 and friends who have gone before. As well, we particularly mark the passing of Nishijima Gudo Wafu and Rempo Niwa Zenji ...
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:February 6th, 2016 - SPECIAL "NEHAN-E" 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

January 2016 Zazenkai Talk (Welcome to the New Year)

To open this New Year, our reading will be the prologue to Master Dogen's Bendowa (On the Endeavor of the Way, Kaz Tanahashi Translation), written in 1231, one of the first pieces on Zen Practice written by Master Dogen following his return to Japan from China:www.lionsroar.com/just-wholeheartedly-sit
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:January 1st-2nd, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! WELCOME THE NEW YEAR! »

November 2015 Zazenkai Talk (The Verse of Atonement, The Four Vows & Others)

For this talk, we will reflect on some of the Verses, Vows and Dedications
we are heard to Chant around here for each Zazenkai and at other times.  For further reading on these and other Chants, I highly recommend
"Living by Vow: A Practical Introduction to Eight Essential Zen Chants
and Texts, by Shohaku Okumura, Wisdom Publications, 2012."Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:November 6th-7th, 2015 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

October 2015 Zazenkai Dharma Talk (Wild Ways of the Precepts in Japan)

Reading: "Wild Ways of the Precepts in Japan"
It is not known if the precepts in sixteen articles resulted from
Dogen’s own innovation or if he borrowed this group from another source.
[Dogen, in a writing describing the ordination ceremony for his
priests] states that the ordination ceremony described therein is
exactly the same as the one conducted by [Dogen's Teacher in China]
Ju-ching in 1225 when he administered the precepts to Dogen. The
reliability of that assertion, however, seems doubtful. [from "Dogen and the Precepts" by Prof. Steven Heine]
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:October 2nd-3rd, 2015 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »