floatingzendo.org Blog » Reading

Studying Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind on Tues Evening

Administrator — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:10:19 +0000

As of late November 2007, we have begun our study of Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

We hope you will join us for regular zazen and our study of this wonderful book, led by our teacher Angie.

Aspects of Sitting by Kobun Chino roshi

Administrator — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:09:41 +0000

We have begun the study of Kobun Chino roshi’s Aspects of Sitting. We began this study in mid-August 2007, and will review a chapter each Tuesday evening after zazen in San Jose.

The text addresses guidelines for zazen, which are especially relevant, as we are about to hold our annual sesshin. Kobun was Angie’s teacher.

Angie handed out paper copies of Aspects for local use in San Jose.

There is an almost identical online copy available at Jikoji, if you’d like to study along with us (remotely). Angie’s Tuesday evening talks on Aspects will be available as well.

A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, by Santideva

Administrator — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:13:00 +0000

[We are beginning study of A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, written by Santideva. We begin with Chapter 1 on May 1, 2007, as part of our regular Tuesday evening schedule in San Jose. Please join us.]
A GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE
(concerning development of an enlightened mind)
Translations in print:

Bodhicaryavatara, Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton
Entering the Path of Enlightenment, Marion Matics
A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior, Alexander Berzin
A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Stephen Bachelor
A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Vesna and Alan Wallace
The Way of the Bodhisattva, Walstan Fletcher

Online Translations:

Commentaries:

Transcendent Wisdom, Dalai Lama (on Chapter 9)
A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night, Dalai Lama
Meaningful to Behold, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
No Time to Lose, Pemo Chodron

Dogen’s Users Manuals on Zazen

Administrator — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:35:52 +0000

I recently read some lectures by Pat Phelan about Dogen’s Fukanzazengi, where she indicates that Dogen wrote three zazen “users manuals”, that are available in English from Stanford’s Soto Text Translation Project:

Zazengi (Principles of Zazen)
Zazenshin (Lancet of Zazen)
Fukanzazengi (Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen)

The translators’ notes and supplemental notes are especially helpful to understand the historical Zen background/context of Dogen’s references.

I hope you too find these excellent Dogen writings an encouragement in your practice.

… Dan

Possible Topics for Upcoming Tues. Dharma Talks (200609)

dan — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 23:21:12 +0000

As you know, we are coming to the end of our dharma talks/study of the Dhammapada on Tuesday evenings in San Jose.

Below are a few ideas for possible subjects for the next dharma talks. The focus is classic Zen poems. Many of our sangha members are writers, poets, etc. and I think it would be interesting to study such materials. Many of these poems are available online, so that would make it easier to obtain for everyone’s reference. Besides, you may enjoy reading them anyways!
Please feel free to post “comments” with your opintions about which poem you’d like to study, or add your own ideas (not necessarily poetry). We’ll also discuss what to study next on Tuesday evening as we come to a close on the Dhammapada.

… Dan
Hakuin (J),
_Zazen Wasan (J),
Song of Zazen_
http://www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachings/Song_of_Zazen.htm
(Normal Waddell translation)

Seng-ts’an (Ch),
Sosan (J),
_Hsin Hsin Ming (Ch),
Shinjinmei (J),
Verses on the Faith-Mind_
http://www.bailinsi.net/03shc/03blyl/05zyyd/060111.htm
(translation by Richard B. Clarke and includes original Chinese)
http://www.mendosa.com/way.html
(translated by Richard B. Clarke as
it appears in Dennis Genpo Merzel _The Eye Never Sleeps_)
http://home.att.net/~paul.dowling/archive/zen/blyth/blyth-all.htm
(Blyth _Zen and Zen Classics_ Volume One)

Tozan Ryokai (J),
Tung-shan Liang-chieh (Ch),
_Bao Jing Sanmei or Pao-Ching Sen-Mei-Ko (Ch)
Hokyo Zammai (J)
Song of Precious Mirror Samadhi_
Blyth _Zen and Zen Classics_ Volume One
http://ancientdragon.org/dharma/chants/
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/zen/hz/hz.htm
(includes Chinese)
http://www.berkeleyzencenter.org/Texts/jewelmirror.shtml

Shih-t’ou Hsi-ch’ien (Ch),
Seikito-Kisen (J),
_Tsan-t’ung-chi’i (Ch),
Sandokai (J),
The Unity of Relative and Absolute_
http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_1/sandokai.html
http://www.berkeleyzencenter.org/Texts/sandokai.shtml
http://www.bamboointhewind.org/chant_sandokai.html (Soto Shumucho 1997)
Suzuki _Branching Steams Flow in the Darkness: Lectures on the Sandokai_

Yung-chieh Hsuan-chueh (Ch)
Yoka Daishi (J),
_Cheng-Tao-Ke (Ch),
Shodoka (J),
Song of Enlightenment_
http://www.hsuyun.org/Dharma/zbohy/Sruti-Smriti/Gathas/song-of-enlightenment.html
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/zen/shodoka.txt
(Robert Aitkentranslation)
http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVLPages/ZenPages/Daily-Zen-Sutras.html#SHODO

Shen Hui (Ch),
_Hsie Tsung Chi (Ch),
Illuminating the Essential Doctrine_
http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-JOCP/jc26898.htm

Kaku-an Shi-en (Ch),
Kuo-an Shih-yuan (Ch),
_10 Ox Herding Pictures_
Kapleau _Three Pillars of Zen_,
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/mzb/oxherd.htm
(D.T. Suzuki from _Manual of Zen Buddhism_)
http://iriz.hanazono.ac.jp/frame/data_f00c.en.html (Urs App 1996)
http://www.hsuyun.org/Dharma/zbohy/VisualArts/OxHerdingPictures/oxherding2.html