THIS EVENING: Spring Study Group (Week 4) - Join Us Today!

 

THIS EVENING: Join Us for Spring Study Group

Facilitated by Tensan Chuck Ramey CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 5–21), Page 69–95   A rare opportunity to explore the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and build a foundation for daily practice through discussions on the book The Lankavatara Sutra by Red Pine (the pen name of Bill Porter). Pick up your copy at Zen Dust for $19.95 (plus tax). Register by week.   About Instructor: Senior Student of Kwong-roshi & Ordained Priest

Tensan (天山) Chuck Ramey has been a student of Kwong roshi for more than 20 years. He took Jukai (Sky Mountain) in 2002 and was ordained as a lay priest in 2014. He lives with Karen, his wife of 54 years, in Tacoma, Washington where he leads the South Sound Zen affiliate sitting group. He first met Nyoze Kwong in New Mexico at Upaya Zen Center in 1999. Through Nyoze he met roshi. Tensan has served as President of the SMZC Board of Trustees since 2017. He and Karen are blessed to have two wonderful children, three grandchildren, a great grandson, and soon to be, great granddaughter.

$12/week | Attend Week 4 ON SITE or ONLINE

*10-20% Member Discount (Please log in first to receive the discount.)

Following The Diamond Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and The Platform Sutra, Red Pine now turns his attention to perhaps the greatest Sutra of all.   The Lankavatara Sutra is the holy grail of Zen. Zen’s first patriarch, Bodhidharma, gave a copy of this text to his successor, Hui-k’o, and told him everything he needed to know was in this book. Passed down from teacher to student ever since, this is the only Zen sutra ever spoken by the Buddha. Although it covers all the major teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, it contains but two teachings: that everything we perceive as being real is nothing but the perceptions of our own mind and that the knowledge of this is something that must be realized and experienced for oneself and cannot be expressed in words. In the words of Chinese Zen masters, these two teachings became known as “have a cup of tea” and “taste the tea.”   This is the first translation into English of the original text used by Bodhidharma, which was the Chinese translation made by Gunabhadra in 443 and upon which all Chinese Zen masters have relied ever since.   In addition to presenting one of the most difficult of all Buddhist texts in clear English, Red Pine has also added summaries, explanations, and notes, including relevant Sanskrit terms on the basis of which the Chinese translation was made. This promises to become an essential text for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding or knowledge of Zen.

APRIL 4 (No Class - SMZC Closed after Buddha's Birthday 3-Day Sesshin) APRIL 11 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 21–34), Page 95–119 APRIL 18 (No Class during Weeklong Sewing Gathering) APRIL 25 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 34–47), Page 119–142 MAY 2 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 47–57), Page 143–166 MAY 9 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 57–66), Page 167–187 MAY 16 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 66–74), Page 187–209 MAY 23 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 74–80), Page 209–232 MAY 30 CHAPTER FOUR: Final Questions (No. 80–86), Page 233–253 JUNE 6 CHAPTER FOUR: Final Questions (No. 86–90), Page 253–270

In order to continue to offer these programs and ensure the future of SMZC, we are asking for your support. Your donation is tax deductible. Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #23-7304793

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