Win. 2: Dec 31 - Jan 6

Winter, week 2

"Life could be called a display of all he different forms of suffering and anxiety. Yet most of us make no serious attempt to confront our anxiety head on." --Koun Yamada

Saturday Zen: Sat Jan 5, 10:00 - 11:45am
room 24
Community UU
468 Rosedale Ave
White Plains, NY
Practice to be led by Meredith Garmon

Morning Zen. Tue, Wed, & Thu, 6:00 - 7:15am
Basement Zendo. See HERE.

Chants
For Mon Dec 31 - Sun Jan 6:

• Heart of True Entrusting, p. 78

Opening and Closing for Mon Dec 31 - Sun Jan 27:

• Opening: The Fruit of the Bodhisattva Way, p. 21
• Closing: Who Owns the Weather, p. 73

See: Boundless Way Zen Sutra Book, 4th ed.   ☙   Supplement   ☙   BoWZ Westchester Chant Schedule

Reading for Sat Jan 5:

• Primary Reading: Koun Yamada, Zen: The Authentic Gate, Ch. 1, "Suffering and Modern-Day Humanity," pp. 3-9.
• Optional Secondary Reading: Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Ch. 26, "Water Rises, Too, p. 166.

For subsequent weeks (through May 18): See Schedule for Reading.

Questions

1. In the opening chapter, Yamada addresses suffering, death, and morality. Suffering: Yamada notes that "life could be called a display of all the different forms of suffering and anxiety." However, instead of confronting our suffering, "we attempt to escape it, seeking momentary distraction in the outside world through liquor, gaming, betting at the track, sexual misadventures, the glare of neon, and the blare of loud music in the streets." What's your preferred mode of distraction?
2. Death: Yamada notes that the "great" accomplishments don't last very long. "Alexander the Great, Caesar, Toyotomi Hideoyoshi" -- "in less than a thousand years their achievements all but disappear....when looked at from the perspective of eternity, the accomplishments of humankind amount to so little. Where does the true meaning behind our efforts lie?" Where does the true meaning of our efforts lie?
3. Morality: Yamada cites examples of moral precepts: "Never tell a lie, always be truthful. Be unsparing and searching with yourself. Do not take the life of living things. Honor your parents." He then says, "These are all fine sentiments. But it is necessary to bring back the moral basis whereby we can teach such things." What is this basis?

This Week's Raven Tale: #85, The Self -- HERE

See Youtube video of Sanbo Zen teachers talking about Zen (4:56): HERE.

KOAN INDEX
RAVEN INDEX