Dharma Heart Zen
April Sangha News
Announcements
All-day Sitting & Celebration of Buddha’s Birthday!
Open Sky Retreat Space
April 28 9:00-4:00 pm PT, hybrid
More Information
Jizo Ceremony
During Thursday April 25th Sangha at 10:00am PT
The Body as a Doorway to Practice
A discussion of practice with aging, disability and trauma
If you missed the event, view the recording at the link below
Recording Link
Sangha Exploration
What can death reveal about living?
Throughout the month of April, we will take a spring journey to the charnel grounds, following the wisdom of the koan from The Hidden Lamp (near the bottom of this section). We will study Buddhist teachings on death, and sangha members will share personal reflections as we investigate together what death can reveal about living.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 23…Chris - Dogen Birth and Death
Thursday, April 25…Jizo Ceremony
Tuesday, April 30…Chris ~ Thich Naht Hahn and the full awareness of breathing
Birth and Death
13th-century Japanese Zen Master Dogen on why in Buddha-dharma birth is understood as No-birth, and death is understood as No-death.
Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing
Ānāpānasati Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya 118
Plum Village
The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully, by Frank Ostaseski
- Adapted from a talk by Sojun Mel Weitsman, edited by Hozan Alan Senauke
Mel Weitsman’s ordination ceremony with Shunryu Suzuki, Berkeley Zen Center, 1969
Empty-handed I entered the world
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going —
Two simple happenings
That got entangled.
Kozan Ichikyo, 14th century monk
Introduction to Buddhist Views on Death
Death and Dying Resources and Experiences
Death and Dying from a Buddhist Perspective, Continued
Death and Dying from a Buddhist Perspective, Continued
Death and Dying from a Buddhist Perspective, Concluded
“To take care of the exhalation is very important. To die is more important than trying to be alive. When we always try to be alive, we have trouble. Rather than trying to be alive or active, if we can be calm and die or fade away into emptiness then naturally we will be all right. Buddha will take care of us.”
- from Not Always So, Shunryu Suzuki
Interview with Yvonne Rand: The Critters Project
When Blossoms Fall: A Zen Guide for Death & Dying, by Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts
Seven Wise Women in the Charnel Ground
China, ninth century
Seven wise sisters planned a spring journey. One of them said, “Sisters, instead of going to a park to enjoy the spring flowers, let’s go together to see the charnel grounds.”
The others said, “That place is full of decaying corpses. What is such a place good for?”
The first woman replied, “Let’s just go. Very good things are there.”
When they arrived, one of them pointed to a corpse and said, “There is a person’s body. Where has the person gone?”
“What?!” another said. “What did you say?” And all seven sisters were immediately enlightened.
Indra, Lord of the Gods, was moved by their awakening and showered flowers down onto them. He offered them whatever they needed for the rest of their lives. One of the sisters replied, “We have everything we need. But please give us a tree without roots, some land without light or shade, and a mountain valley where a shout does not echo.”
“Ask anything else, holy ladies,” replied Indra, “and I will gladly provide it. But I don’t have those things to give you.”
“If you don’t have them,” said the woman, “how can you help others liberate themselves?” At this, Indra took the sisters to visit the Buddha. When the Buddha learned why they had come, he said, “As far as that’s concerned, Indra, none of the arahants has the slightest clue either. Only great bodhisattvas understand this matter.”
~ from The Hidden Lamp, edited by Sue Moon and Florence Caplow
For general information about weekly sittings and other offerings,
see Dharma Heart Zen Offerings
Sangha News & Resources
Fernald’s iris, Iris fernaldii
offered by Gretchen Paradis
Angels floating over Yosemite Falls
~ offered by Anne Richards
Spring Poem
by Basha Hirschfeld of Open Sky, March 2024
offered by Nicolle from her writing class
Can I renew my subscription
To life?
At 78 I have to ask.
Can I continue to enjoy this life of mine —
rich with grandchildren, rife with troubled times?
Can I please breathe life into limb,
Can I delay departure for a few more years?
Can I renew the time and not forget
to savor every moment.
I’m still learning to make use of it all.
How To Renew?
Drop all expectations.
Open up to life as it unfolds before you.
Notice the moment. Savor it.
As the blossoms open to the season,
Open to the storms and sun.
What it means to renew,
to return to the wellspring of your heart,
to open to the newness of each day,
to allow for all weather —
heavy winds may shake you
open to it all and don’t be shy.
Allow, allow, without your expectations,
so you can let the new day renew you,
You don’t have to do it all
Alone.
Celebrating the Voices of Women in Buddhism Series
Saturday, May 11 12:30-2:00 PT
Receiving the Marrow by Bowing Raihai Tokuzui
wih Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts
ONLINE VIA ZOOM
Coming across Dōgen Zenji’s early chapter of Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, called Receiving the Marrow by Bowing Raihai Tokuzui, was a revelation. Besides his unfolding of the issue of gender in relation to the Dharma of nonduality and in the choosing of a guiding teacher, Dogen also does not hold back in his diatribe and strong admonishment of the biased practices of the time in relation to women. Together we will explore these issues as well as hear the stories cited of the women teachers Moshan Liaoran and Miaoxin. There will also be time for discussion and Q&A.
More Information and Register
Dr. Paula Arai’s January 14 talk Bowing to Lotuses Blooming in the Mud: Gratitude as an agent for change, and Anan Koshiki ritual.
Video recording of the event
Sit for Democracy
On Sunday May 19, 2024, 1-5pm PT, Chris will be participating in, and offering a dharma talk, for “Sit for Democracy,” an event sponsored by the Berkeley Engaged Buddhist Election Retreats in collaboration with the Movement Voter Project (MVP). It takes place in-person in Oakland and virtually on Zoom.
The event is to raise money for grassroots organizers in swing states to Get out the Vote for Democrats in the 2024 election. The money raised will go to the Movement Voter Project which invests in local community-based groups led by BIPOC, LGBTQI+, youth, low-income and other voting rights activists dedicated to engaging the least likely voters to participate in local races and issues in their own communities. By organizing year-round, MVP’s grantees are experts at mobilizing these same voters to tip the closest races in pivotal swing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia.
Here is a 2 minute video about MVP:
This is a Movement
Sponsor ballot bodhisattva Chris by donating to Sit for Democracy!
Here is a beautiful chant by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel to encourage us on the Way: For All Beings
Chris will also be writing postcards, participating in election retreats and canvasing door to door throughout this election year with Election Retreat.Org Please consider joining.
This is a volunteer fundraiser to support Movement Voter PAC [movement.vote]. Not authorized by any federal, state or local candidate or candidate’s committee).
