Raichozan (Thunderbird Mountain) Zendo

We are a lay sitting group in Glendale AZ. We meet on Tuesday evenings at the West Valley UU Church at 59th and Cholla. Offering instruction in zazen (Zen Buddhist meditation) and the opportunity to practice with the structure and support of a group inspired in the Rinzai Zen tradition.Beginners welcome.

We meet on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30
First time visitors should call 602.492.2212 or email mui@cox.net for orientation instructions.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Oneness and the true Godhead

Jesus, Mohamed and even you and I are not separate. From the Blue Cliff Record


Hekiganroku - Case 57: Joshu and the "Bumpkin"

A monk asked Joshu,
  "'The supreme Way is not difficult; it simply dislikes choosing'. What
   is non-choosing?"
Joshu said,
  "Above the heavens and under the heavens I am the only one, alone and
   exalted."
The monk said,
  "That is still choosing."
Joshu said,
  "You stupid bumpkin, where is the choosing?"
The monk remained silent.

My thoughts, Dogen and koans

I hear that the the difference between Soto and Rinzai is that Rinzai uses koan as a practice and Soto doesn't. I've been reading the Dogens  Extensive Record and to me it seems that all he did was to heap koans on to his community,

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Maybe I should be ashamed.

For someone who pretty much has only hung out with people of the Rinzai persuasion I've found myself reading a lot from that heretic Dogen. How ever much I repent tough it won't change the fact that I've found no one who exposes the implications of what non dual reality implies. From his commentary on Linji's (Rinzai's) "True Person of no Rank" in his 300 koan Shobogenzo

 "The true person of no rank is the real form of truth as it appears throughout the universe. It is fluid and in a constant state of becoming. The true person of rank is the real form of truth as it appears throughout the universe. It, too, is fluid and in a constant state of becoming. Rank and no rank are nondual. Therefore, each and every thing up to and including each one of us exists thus!  The essence of all phenomena is thusness; the real nature of body and mind is thusness. Therefore, it cannot be attained by any personal effort. Realized or not, it has always been manifesting as our very life itself."