Teachings
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Be Still & Know: A Zen Reading of a Biblical Saying, by Ruben Habito, Part 2 of 3
June 3, 20177 min read
Insofar as this little “I,” secluded from the boundless “I AM,” reigns in our lives, we are blocking the infinite capacity that is the totality of ourselves as enveloped by the boundless “I AM.” We have fallen from grace. Read Part 1 of Be Still & Know We are invited to sit in silence, and to immerse ourselves in the vast and boundless ocean of “to be,” and to know that with this, there is nothing else...
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Teisho: Obaku’s Drinkers Revisited
June 1, 20172 min read
I don’t say there is no Zen, just no Zen Teachers. ~ Obaku If you think you are going to get something through effort, you won’t get anywhere or anything, you are still in the midst of craving. ~ Henry Shukman Description: Henry introduces the verses that are attached to each Koan in the Book of Equanimity. He explicates the charming, powerful verse from Case 53, Obaku’s Drinkers (which Henry spoke about in several earlier podcasts)...
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Be Still & Know: A Zen Reading of a Biblical Saying, by Ruben Habito, Part 1 of 3
May 27, 20178 min read
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. - Matthew 5:8 We are looking at the Beatitudes as our pointer to the source of the living waters, where we may drink and never thirst again, as Jesus in John 4:13-14 told the Samaritan woman at the well. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8) What is it to be “pure of heart”? The centuries-old tradition of Zen practice, centered...
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Special Presentation: Teisho by Yamada Ryoun Roshi
May 25, 20172 min read
"When we “mu” the self becomes one with mu." ~ Ryoun Roshi Description: On March 9, 2017 Sanbo Zen Abbot, Ryoun Roshi, visited Mountain Cloud and gave his first ever teisho in our Zendo. He explored authentic Zen by looking at the Gateless Gate, Case 1, Joshu’s Dog, Descartes, the Heart Sutra, Zen’s ox-herding pictures and quantum dynamics. Roshi asks, what is the central reason we practice Zen? He answers, to discover our true nature. He also asks the...
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Sanbo Zen & Unconditional Well Being, Video Clip
May 20, 20172 min read
It’s not so much that are our existence is separate, it just IS other beings. Henry Shukman briefly previews Sanbo Zen ... and shares his thoughts on where/how "unconditional well being is to be found." He is interviewed by Mountain Cloud board member Chris Hebard “Zen derived from a Chinese word Chan, which derives from the Sanskrit word dyana, which basically means meditation or meditative absorbtion.” The Sanbo Zen line is not concerned with the forms of worship, liturgy...
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Teisho: Buddha’s Heart
May 18, 20172 min read
If you put store in things that are not permanent you will never find peace… everything in our sense experience is one river of lightning Description: This talk focuses on “heart.” Henry recaps Shakymuni’s awakening. After years of grueling and ultimately unsuccessful austerity practices, Shakymuni recalled a buried moment from childhood where he was sitting calmly beneath a tree watching the spring plowing festival. He saw plows grind up a field and demolish thousands of tiny insects, shattering...
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Sanbo Zen: Yamada Ryoun Roshi
May 13, 20177 min read
Nurturing and supporting “kensho”, realization of the way in Zen, is Sanbo Zen’s primary mission. It may be the only practice dedicated solely to awakening, followed by the complete integration of that direct experience into every aspect of life. It’s goal is to deepen and perfect the clarity of this direct experience. Who is this guy? This is Zen Master Masamichi Yamada, also known as Ryoun Yamada Roshi, the head Abbot of Sanbo Zen. Here’s a little history of his business...
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Teisho: The Three Treasures
May 11, 20171 min read
I return full-heartedly to the Buddha I return full-heartedly to the Dharma I return full-heartedly to the Sangha ~ Henry’s Translation of Ti Sarana Description: In this episode, Henry gives further background and context on the levels and possibilities of Zen practice. Broadly speaking, there are three kinds of practice at Mountain Cloud. Each layer corresponds with a reason why we might want to practice at all. Those, in turn correspond with a different level of possibility that practice offers....
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