Description: This talk opens with some reflections on what we are doing practicing Zen. Henry describes some of the ways and means by which Zen practice came to America during the mid 20th century, noting that meditation has now become mainstream, and many students are hungry to learn from the ancient masters in order to experience true peace, freedom and kindness. Henry then looks at Case 18 in the Book of Equanimity, which is a fuller version of the Mu koan. The essence of the koan is realization of Buddha nature which Henry begins to explore, quoting from Muso Soseki, who said: “Zen aims for the fundamental state prior to the distinction between enlightened and unenlightened.”
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Featured Image Credit: zen-garden, by Spirit Fire, CC BY 2.0.