Dharma Talk at the Original Light Zen Temple, Hungary

I gave this Dharma Talk on June 29, 2024, during my stay at the Orginal Light Zen Temple (zentemple.eu). Please forgive the choppy edit. The talk was translated into Hungarian by Chong An Sunim as I spoke, so most of the translation was edited out. Hence, the unnatural pauses. Deep gratitude to Chong An Sunim and the Original Light Zen Temple Sangha for supporting and caring for Charlene and me during our stay.

OZS - Dharma Room

Calendar Update: Regular Practice Schedule

Join us tonight for our Wednesday Evening Practice Session, on July 3, 2024. Ordinary Zen Sangha practice sessions continue after a month off in June 2024. OZS is secular in its approach, no experience is necessary, and all are welcome. We practice at our Zendo on Wednesday at 7:00 pm. We chant the Heart Sutra, practice sitting meditation for 25 minutes, walking meditation for 5 minutes, and another sitting meditation for 25 minutes, followed by a Dharma talk and discussion […]

the source of the river Buna

Temple Life – Part Two

After 8 days of traveling with Sunim and his family,  plus 8 days of Charlene and I traveling alone down Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, Charlene and I have returned to the Orginal Light Temple outside Budapest for the last few days of our visit. We will be ending our trip with an Ancestor Celebration on Sunday. Of course, there are stories to tell about our adventures. However, this post is not a travel log. There will be opportunities to share those […]

temple

Temple Life

Dear Sangha, Charlene and I are at the end of our first week at Orginal Light  Zen Temple. Very welcoming and wonderful Sangha. We love it here! I would like to share a poem that Charlene wrote about daily temple life. A Gentle Awakening The 4 A.M. sunrise illuminates the crown of the yurt. Then, morning birdsong. A solo recital. The 5 A.M. Zen drum beckons. And so it begins. Shoes on shoes off, shoes on shoes off, shoes on […]

Tea Cup

Exploring an exchange between two Zen Masters.  From 208 Kongans – compiled by Chong An Sunim, Original Light Zen Temple.

Taking June 2024 Off for a Personal Retreat

Last year, I took a month off in August for a personal retreat. This year, I will take a month off in June. There will be no practice sessions in June 2024. I will be in Budapest, Hungary from Thursday, June 6th through Sunday, June 9th for an advanced meditation retreat at the Original Light Zen Temple that will be led by Zen Master Chong An Sunim. I will also be traveling with Chong An Sunim and his family after […]

Hauling Away the Shit Pail

“It is foolish to use the verb “to appear” in describing the manifestation of the buddhas. We simply use the expression “a buddha appears in the world” to make it easier for sentient beings to understand. “Picks up a shit pail and hauls away all the shit of conceptual proliferation” means that a buddha removes all traces of various types of ignorant thoughts. If you do not depart from the original true reality of the middle way, then whatever words […]

Getting unstuck and non-duality

I am about to head up to North Carolina for a few days and while I am gone, I thought you might enjoy this blast from the past. I gave this Dharma Talk from North Carolina, 3 years ago on Aug 23, 2020. It was during COVID, please forgive the quality of the video, it was from my Chromebook on Zoom… We will resume our regular practice sessions on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Deep Bow, Will Rauschenberger