Posted inDharma, Dogen, Koans, Videos

One Bright Pearl, Summer Sesshin Talk 4, Valerie Forstman

July 29, 2022

The entire world of the ten directions is one bright pearl.

Zen Master Gensha

During this summer Sesshin, we have been deeply exploring the intimacy in all things which Dogen says is “manifesting here and now.” Valerie quotes from Dogen’s Genjokoan which at its conclusion turns toward suffering, the reason why we practice: “the wind of the house of Buddhism reveals the great earth’s golden presence and ripens the sweat milk of the long river.”

How does this practice dissolve all suffering in this world? How can our sitting in silent absorption activate the great earths golden presence and ripen the sweat milk of the long river?

Valerie turns to the famous koan from Dogen’s Shobogenzo – One Bright Pearl – to continue looking into the intimacy in all things: The entire world of the ten directions is one bright pearl.

Photo by Alex Turcu on Unsplash

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