Practice Peace

With palms together,


Good Afternoon Everyone,



Peace and joy to the world. Would that it were so. Unfortunately, we are fighting on many, many fronts and there is great discord in the world at large. There is fighting in nearly every land and if not fighting, great suffering. Sometimes to consider this truth is enough to make a sane person crazy.



We have this month: Hanamatsuri, Passover, and Easter. Each celebrates the hope of liberation. Yet, it is clear to me that this sort of thing is a person by person thing. Groups are so often discordant. Mass liberation is a delusional hope.



So, rather than ask for, or to pray for, world peace, I will chose instead to practice peace.



Homeless Kodo once said it’s all about practice. He said it’s about Zazen. If it is raining and the roof leaks, try to fix it, but if you cannot fix it, move to where there is no drip and practice Zazen. He said religion is not a concept, but a practice.



So, we do not believe in world peace, we become world peace. How? Practice peace.



Don’t know how to do that? Hint. Put your body speech and mind in neutral.



Be well.

Team Zen

Team Zen completed the Iron Bunny 5k today in support of ALS disease research.  Thanks to Student Kanu and Jiisha Soku Shin for running with me.

Be well.

Announcements for the Order of Clear Mind Zen

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,



So, I am not a Christian and have no TV or radio. I don’t really look that closely at the little notes above my calendar. I did not know this Sunday was Easter. Goodness. So, I think it is wise to postpone our Annual Membership Meeting for a week. We will still hold Zen services at 9:00 AM this Sunday.



So, Annual Meeting is set for May 1st at 11:00 AM



Team Zen will race the Iron Bunny 5k Charity race tomorrow morning at Ponder Park in El Paso (start time is 8:00 AM). Team Zen will also walk the March for Babies on April 30 at Young Park at 7:30. This will be followed by Clear Mind Zen assisting at Peace Village’s Mini Peace Camp in Anthony NM at 9:35.



We will host May Zazenkai from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 7th. Please consider joining us and reserve your space soon.



May you each be a blessing in the universe.



Yours,

Daiho

Life is Short

With palms together


Good Evening Everyone,



Sometimes thing get away from me. Today I had an appointment with my attorney to discuss a will, power of attorney, and an advanced directive. Unfortunately, it was scheduled at the same time as several of my weekly Dokusan’s. My apologies to all.



It is important to keep ahead of things. Dying is one of them. Not that I plan to expire anytime soon, but life is short and unpredictable, so being prepared is always a good idea.



When I do die, I would like to make the library I have collected over the years the Order’s. I would like all items related to Zen and the practice of Zen to be in the hands of my able disciples and my Jiisha. This Order should not be dependent on my living.



I am, however, 64 years old and have had some rather serious, life threatening traumas. There is only so long a bunny can hop. It was time to get things in order.



Be well,

Jiisha and Volunteer Opportunities

With respect,




Hello Everyone, As you know now, Kathryn Soku Shin has formally become my "jiisha." A jiisha is the personal attendant of the abbot. She will be responsible for fielding my calls, scheduling, and a variety of other tasks at the Order. Please give her your complete cooperation and assistance as needed.



We are a growing organization. I want to keep it as flat an organizational structure as is possible. To accomplish this we need people willing to offer their services to the Order. Sewing tasks include zafus and zabutans. Marketing tasks include press releases, attending community meetings on behalf of the Order, seeking out free advertising wherever possible, and being willing to talk to friends and new acquaintences about our Order and the various services we offer. Social engagement would include writing letters to editors, bearing witness for peace, voluntering at the soup kitchen, peace village, hospice, or other social service agencies. We are planning to offer seminars. If you have an interest in assisting with the design and implementation, administration, and so on of educational seminars, please let us know. We would like someone to be in charge of our kitchen at the Temple, making sure it is stocked with the necessary daily and weekly needs of the sangha. These are just a few of our personnel needs.



If you are free to do any of these please confer with Soku Shin.



Be well.

On Flagpoles and Snow Globes

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,



Zazen at the Veteran’s park was very serene this morning. The breeze was steady and refreshing in light of a blazing, but beautiful, morning sun. I had ridden my bicycle to the park, a distance of about 2.7 miles of mostly steep hills and welcomed the opportunity to sit still under the rotunda. Colette sat with me. It was very peaceful.



My mind was at work intermittently, though. I had re-read some of the very famous text, The Three Pillars of Zen, last night and was swirling in Yasutani-roshi’s words regarding his understanding of practice. The other day I read a piece of the commentary Daido-roshi had written on the Mountains and Rivers Sutra. Things seemed to coalesce in the stillness in front of the flag pole.



Both of these sages had views on our practice. Both had decidedly strong views on Soto and Rinzai schools. We would do well to pay attention to them. Our practice, however, must drive us. It is both our anchor and our wheel.



When the we are awake, there is no movement. Practice is like this. We, the wind, the flag, the dogs walking across in front of us as we are sitting, are all one. So, what is moving?



Mountains walk, the sutra points out, and “there should be no doubts about these blue mountains walking.”



So, walking while not moving? What’s this? Is the snow globe stationary as the snow within it falling?



We should practice in this way: centered, serene, still. All the while we walk.



Be well.

On Zen

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,



Zen is Zen. It is not American, Asian, or European. It is the authentic practice of the buddhas and ancestors. No one, not one group, organization, temple, body of experts, blogger, website, web directory or nation has the authority to determine the authenticity of a lineage. Only our practice itself does that. Let me be clear (and maybe just a tad radical here): it is our practice, not our thoughts, feelings or pedigree that determines our authenticity in Zen.



Zen is alive. It is the living manifestation of the buddha-dharma. Authenticity is revealed in Zen’s practice, not in a piece of paper, chop, whisk, or shaved head. The questions, “where’s my mind?” in my activity, “who am I?” through in each moment, and “what is my next step?” as I encounter the world are fundamental questions and how I manifest their answers determines my authenticity.



My Teacher and his Teacher before him gave me a great gift: the opportunity to practice the dharma, to bring the dharma into the world, and to share it with others. I have steadfastly done that over the last nearly fifteen years I have been authorized to teach in my lineage. This gift is precious. So I take great offense at those in the Zen world who feel they are in a position to determine the authenticity of my practice, my teaching, or my lineage on the basis of anything other than its practice itself. To do this, they must know me, see me, experience my practice.



Rev. Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi has two living Dharma heirs who have steadfastly practiced and taught the dharma: Rev. Michael Taiun Elliston-sensei and Rev. Ken Hogaku ShoZen McGuire-roshi. One on the East coast, one on the west coast. Both of these teachers have established Temples or Zen Centers, taught and sanctioned dharma heirs. As in other lineages, dharma heirs differ in temperament, personality, and style. They also differ in how they perceive and manifest their mission as dharma teachers. One is not better, more authentic, higher or lower than the other. Both have lived the dharma and manifested the transmission of mind. As I see it, this is the only real and honest test of authenticity.



Comments have been made about the legitimacy of Matsuoka’s heirs and typically, one of these two heirs is considered “recognized” whereas the other is questioned or given short shrift. This effort damages Matsuoka, his lineage, and consequently his heirs. Is Hogaku’s silent, less in your face, practice any less “authentic” than Taiun’s larger, more publis effort? Does the fact that Hogaku has had a small temple and daily practice for over forty years not count? Hogaku is reticent about putting himself “out there.” Given the opportunity, Hogaku dresses in his purple robes, but he easily and quickly removes them, more comfortable he is in a t-shirt and western jeans. He does not write, he does not promote himself, he simply practices Zen on a daily, moment to moment basis in his woodshop, in his Zendo, and in his student’s hearts.



The seventh grave precept suggests we not elevate ourselves above others at their expense. We should honor this, and in the process, go about the business of bringing the dharma into the world.



Be well.