TREELEAF ZENDO PODCAST

July 2016 SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Who Is a Priest?

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 with JUNDO: Who Is a Priest ... »

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

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 for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:July 1st-2nd, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! »

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! »

May 2016 SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Engaged Patience

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 not be attached to the desired outcome.
We can do what can be done, trying for good results ... yet filled with patience at the slow progress.
We can try for success ... yet also know equanimity with regard to success or failure.
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:
SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: ENGAGED PATIENCE »

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 SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Engaged Ethics (& Zenathon for Treeleaf's 10th Anniversary)

First, I would like to point everyone to our upcoming ZENATHON, for 10 days starting April 1st (March 31 in some places) through April 10th, marking the 10th Anniversary of Treeleaf Sangha. Sangha members and friends will be sitting somewhere in the world, in all time zones, to mark the event. We are also very fortunate to be able to celebrate together with the traditional day marking Buddha's Birthday in Japan, April 8th (details on that soon). In our Community, we have people sitting all over, in all times, dropping away all thought of "here and there". If you are available to sit with us, here is information on how you can note your times to sit (or if your schedule requires, you can also just pull up a Zafu when you can).
... And on to today's topic:
As part of our focus on Treeleaf's Engaged and Charitable Projects Center, I have been looking at how the traditional Virtues (Paramitas) of a Bodhisattva aid and guide us in our volunteer, charitable and socially engaged activities in the world. This time, we look at how ethics and the Precepts are a vital foundation for our activities.
Truly, they open the heart. An appreciation of the importance of life, of not taking what has not been given, of not using others, of honesty and like virtues all help us along.
Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:
SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: Engaged Ethics (& Zenathon for Treeleaf's 10th Anniversary) »

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! »