From a talk on Fukanzazengi by Taitaku Pat Phelan (Chapel Hill Zen Center) . “A mallet” refers to the first case of the Shoyoroku, or Book of Equanimity, which is a Soto Zen koan collection. One day the World Honored One ascended the seat or teaching platform. When Buddha took his place on the raised…

I am hiking in Northern Japan today. It is a very beautiful place, abutting the Oirase River. Sometimes when I encounter a particularly picturesque scene … a grand tree, a massive rock, a moss and fern garden, a waterfall … I try to have a ‘Zen experience‘, to feel a bit of instant ‘Satori’. I…

.Years prior to becoming the fifteenth Zen patriarch, the Venerable Kanadeva called upon his future teacher, the Great Nagarjuna, asking to become his student. Nagarjuna sensed that Kunadeva was someone of great Wisdom. Thus, to test Kanadeva, Nargarjuna placed a bowl of clear water placed before the visitor. Kanadeva thereupon produced a needle from his…

From a talk on Fukanzazengi by Taitaku Pat Phelan (Chapel Hill Zen Center) .… “a banner” refers to Ananda’s enlightenment story. Ananda was the Buddha’s first cousin and became his attendant. Both Ananda and Kasyapa were disciples of Buddha [but] Ananda realized enlightenment after Buddha’s death when he was practicing with Kasyapa. … Ananda’s enlightenment…

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