We are pleased that Zen Master Chong An Sunim will visit OZS from Saturday, November 9th, through Sunday, November 17th. There will be many opportunities to practice with Zen Master Chong An Sunim and learn from a master deeply rooted in the tradition of Zen at our events and practice sessions. Our all-day retreat at Myakka River State Park is next Saturday, November 9th. There is still time to sign up for the retreat. Following our retreat on Sunday the […]
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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 […]
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 […]
Huangbo’s Transmission of Mind – Parts 10 to 18
For there is nowhere that is outside the Buddha-Mind Let’s dive in, shall we?
Platform Sutra Study- Part 4 – Sections 20-23
Dear Good Friends, We continue to explore the Platform Sutra of Hui-neng. If you are following along with me, I recommend that you go directly to the Platform Sutra and skip the introduction and the sections with commentary by Red Pine. Read sections (20-23) of the Platform Sutra, notice your reaction to this reading, sit with it, and comment below. I will respond to your comments (privately) as necessary. You may of course not follow my direction and not respond […]
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The Calm Before the Storm
Tracking Hurricane Dorian shows that it will be late Monday, Tuesday at the earliest that it will hit the east coast and possibly head this way. In preparation, we will have our Sunday Evening Meditation as usual. Our Dharma talk will be on “How can we focus our heart/mind in the midst of uncertainty and impermanence“. Those who have not awakened to the mind live enslaved to circumstance. They dream not only while they are asleep; even when their eyes […]
Why OZS Exists
OZS exists because it is needed. It isn’t a church or religious institution. We have enough of those. It isn’t a Buddhist Temple and we do not worship a Buddha, a god or deity. We do not belong to or adhere to an ideology. Yet when you walk into our zendo, you will find the triple treasure is very much present. OZS is a modern practice center. Here, presence is what matters. It is palpable. What do we practice? Our […]
Ordinary Zen Goes To Jail
In March of this year, I was offered a wonderful opportunity to share the benefits of Zen Meditation with the general population at the Sarasota County Jail. I originally asked Sangha Member Judy Rosemarin to join me and she generously donated her time each Thursday morning for an hour of sitting and sharing the Dharma with inmates. Unfortunately, Judy will be unavailable for three months this summer. In order to give the inmates continuity of experience, as much as possible given the situation, I have asked […]