floatingzendo.org Blog

Hsin Hsin Ming Study 2010

2009-12-30T06:37:35Z

Starting Tuesday, January 12, we will be studying Hsin-hsin Ming: Verses on the Faith-Mind by Seng-ts’an, Third Patriarch. The book that Angie will use as her reference in the upcoming talks is Trust in Mind: The Rebellion of Chinese Zen
by Mu Soeng & Jan Chozen Bays. This book includes the ancient poem and commentary; it is not required or needed for our Tuesday evenings. There are about 20 or so verses to this poem and it is in many anthologies, as well as on-line.

The translation by Richard B. Clarke can be found at this link: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/zen/fm/fm.htm.

Heart Sutra Study 2009

2009-10-07T15:34:36Z

Beginning in early October 2009, Floating Zendo has begun to study the Heart Sutra. We have studied the Sutra before, and we come back to this essential periodically. “The” Sutra is chanted at each of Floating Zendo’s zazen sessions as a core element of the service. The Sutra’s emphasis on emptiness and prajna paramita are core to our Soto and Mahayana practice.

We encourage you to join the study by attending Tuesday evenings in San Jose, CA, or by listening to the audio recordings of Angie’s talks.

Practice Period 2009

2009-08-26T03:59:10Z

[Practice period for 2009 is now over. We leave this posting available for your use, as it refers to useful documents relevant for ongoing practice.]
In preparation for Floating Zendo’s sesshin in August 2009, we began a practice period in early July, that will end with the start of sesshin. “Ango” is often a time of more intense (zazen) practice, a greater role in the zendo, studying a sutra/Buddhist material, etc. To guide the greater sanga in joining in practice period, please see document 1 and document 2 for some background and suggestions for this practice opportunity.

Precepts Study

2009-06-16T05:30:00Z

As of early June 2009, we are studying the Buddhist Precepts. Angie gives a talk on them each Tuesday evening after zazen, followed by comments and questions/answers with the sangha.

Here are the materials.

And here are the talks.

Tues. Study: Dogen’s Zuimonki

2008-07-15T22:35:21Z

Begining July 8, 2008, Floating Zendo in San Jose, CA will study Dogen Zenji’s Zuimonki on Tuesday evenings.

Zuimonki is a collection of dharma talks to lay and monk practitioners given by Dogen Zenji, recorded by his disciple Ejo.

We will use a few translations:

Online: from Sotoshu (Soto Zen in Japan, likely translated by Shohaku Okumura in 1988 variously indicating Kyoto Soto Zen or Sotoshu).
Book: Thomas Cleary’s Record of Things Heard, available from Amazon, and possibly from local book sellers.

If you can not attend our Tuesday evening zazen/study, we hope you will listen to recordings of these meetings.

Angie on Wikipedia

2008-03-27T21:49:26Z

Wikipedia now has an entry for our teacher Angie!

Take a look… you may learn something that you didn’t know about our teacher!

(P.S. There is also a permanent link to the Wikipedia entry on the Blog Roll.)

Studying Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind on Tues Evening

2007-12-20T23:25:34Z

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

2007-08-16T22:15:28Z

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.

Poem by Wang Wei

2007-05-18T23:18:29Z

On Tuesday, May 15, 2007, guest speaker Michael Newhall from Jikoji cited a poem from memory that many sangha members enjoyed. The following is the poem in full:

Chungnan

Middle-aged now, following the Way.
Settled at evening near the Chungnan slopes.
Delight, and I wander off by myself
Searching for what I need to see alone.
I climb up to the roots of the streams,
Sit and watch the White Clouds pass,
Meet the old man of the woods,
Talk and laugh, forget to go home.
… Wang Wei (699-759 AD)

A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, by Santideva

2007-04-30T14:20:23Z

[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