TOMORROW EVENING: Spring Study Group (Week 5) - Join Us Today!

 

THIS TUESDAY EVENING: Join Us for Spring Study Group

Facilitated by Doshin (道心) Steven Yoder CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 21–34), Page 95–119   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

Doshin has practiced meditation since 1978 with traditional and non-traditional Zen teachers. In 1994 he began several years of Soto Zen training at SMZC with Kwong-roshi. He later practiced Rinzai Zen and in 2016 was ordained by Roshi Lawler in the Rinzai Lineage of Soen Nakagawa Roshi. In 2020 Doshin resumed his training with Kwong-roshi and the Genjoji Sangha—deepening his commitment to Everyday Zen. He is a lifelong builder and also works caring for terminally ill people and their families. An avid hiker and gardener, he lives with his wife in Boulder, CO.

$12/week | Attend Week 5 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 18 (No Class during Weeklong Sewing Gathering. Come any day of the week!) 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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