City Study Circles

 

2015 SUMMER ANGO IN THE CITY STUDY CIRCLES

Each Sunday at the Zendo, instead of a dharma talk, we will read excerpts from Cultivating the Empty Field (trans D Leighton).  This poetic text on Silent Illumination (otherwise known as shikantaza or just sitting) was written by Zen master Hongzhi, a 12th Century Zen Master who had a formative influence on Dogen.

The study circles will provide an opportunity for the group to reflect on the text as an aid to practice. The leader will open with a reading for that day, providing some pointers for the group to engage. The format may be in council style but is not restricted to this style. In addition, your own practice will include listening to the talks that will come from the Grail during this Ango period. 

Other ancillary study texts for Summer Ango in the City are ‘The Art of Just Sitting’ edited by Daido Roshi, and The Method of No-Method by Sheng Yen. We hope you will join us in the study of this venerable meditation practice that is so central to our tradition. 

July 26th led by Joshin     THE BRIGHT BOUNDLESS FIELD (P 30)

The field of boundless emptiness is what exists from the very beginning. You must purify, cure, grind down, or brush away all the tendencies you have fabricated into apparent habits. Then you can reside in the clear circle of brightness. Utter emptiness has no image, upright independence does not rely on anything. Just expand and illuminate the original truth unconcerned by external conditions.

August 2nd led by Joshin    FACE EVERYTHING, LET GO AND ATTAIN STABILITY (p31)

Stay with that just as that. Stay with this just as this. That and this are mixed together with no discriminations as to their places. So it is said that the earth lifts up the mountain without knowing the mountain’s stark steepness. A rock contains jade without knowing the jade’s flawlessness. This is how truly to leave home, how home-leaving must be enacted.

August 9th led by Soten  THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF MANY LIFETIMES (P36)

We all have the clear, wondrously bright field from the beginning. Many lifetimes of misunderstanding come only from distrust, hindrance, and screens of confusion that we create in a scenario of isolation. With boundless wisdom journey beyond this, forgetting accomplishments. Straightforwardly abandon stratagems and take on responsibility. Having turned yourself around, accepting your situation, if you set foot on the path, spiritual energy will marvelously transport you. Contact phenomena with total sincerity, not a single atom of dust outside yourself.

August 16 led by Kokyo THE BACKWARD STEP AND THE UPRIGHT CAULDRON (P40)

When you can share your self, then you may manage affairs, and you have the pure seal that stamps the ten thousand forms. Traveling the world, meeting conditions, the self joyfully enters samadhi in all delusions and accepts is function, which is to empty out the self so as not to be full of itself. The empty valley receives the clouds. The cold stream cleanses the moon. Not departing, and not remaining, far beyond all the changes, you can give teachings without attainment or expectation. Everything everywhere comes back to the olden ground. Not a hair has been shifted, bent or raised up. Despite a hundred uglinesses or a thousand stupidities, the upright cauldron is naturally beneficent.

August 23 led by Musho THE SOLITARY BEACON AND THE SINGLE ROAD (P53)

People of the Way journey through the world responding to conditions, carefree and without restraint. Like clouds finally raining, like moonlight following the current, like orchids growing in shade, like spring arising in everything, they act without mind, they respond with certainty. This is how perfected people behave. Then they must resume their travels and follow the ancestors, walking ahead with steadiness and letting go of themselves with innocence.

for more information: info@villagezendo.org

 

Connect with Us

Join Village Zendo's newsletter to receive updates on events, workshops and retreats, and our monthly bulletin.

Thank you for subscribing!