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milwaukee center newsletter

volume 24, no.1 January 2007

Entering the Gates . According as we proceed a deeper and the Tiger, we are I’ve realized recently to the Oxford Dictionary understanding grows of left wondering which that I have not been fully of , two aspects the depth and wonder of door the protagonist will appreciating the meaning of this state of mind are the Way. We learn that it open, the one to delight of the various chants that recognized: the relative is not about “me”, but or the one to terror. This we use in our daily and aspect or the mind about a magnificent “us” presupposes that one weekly practice. of a bodhisattva that encompasses the choice is more valuable Therefore, in this article I directed towards whole universe. Thus the than the other. But our would like to address the enlightenment, and enormity of our vow is vow says, gates Four Great Vows that we the absolute aspect, revealed. How, we won- are boundless, I vow to enter chant each Saturday after the mind whose intrinsic der, can we ever realize them. The truth lies both our study class. nature is enlightenment. the Way? in delight and in terror, These vows, in Our vow to realize Yet as we vow to and to experience life the translation that the Buddha Way is do so, the path slowly fully we must be ready we use, are: the first stirring of the reveals itself to us. At to engage with what our Beings are numberless, relative aspect, which is first we think that certain minds find abhorrent as I vow to free them. two-fold: the practices and certain readily as with what our Delusions are of aspiration, when study are all we need, but minds judge pleasing. inexhaustible, I vow to one announces one’s eventually the Buddha’s The word dharma end them. intention to pursue the teaching reaches our has a number of different Dharma gates are Bodhisattva Path, and the understanding. To know meanings, among which boundless, I vow to bodhicitta of application, the Dharma fully is to is “the truth” and “a enter them. by which one engages deeply encounter all thing, object or occur- The Buddha Way is in the path. things. And so the rence.” Our vow says that unsurpassable, I vow to When we learn next vow comes to the to realize the Buddha Way realize it. that there is a path to fore: Dharma gates are we will enter all doors of Although, as with any awakening, to tranquility, boundless, I vow to experience, that each is vow worth its salt, these to harmony with all enter them. an opening to our under- vows cannot easily be things in the universe, For me, this is the standing of the truth of fulfilled, they pull us we develop a yearning central vow. It says that how things function in forward through our lives to head in that direction, in my lifetime I will this universe. It implies with the pull of powerful drawn by a vision of encounter a thousand that we will seek to commitment. As I look at what reality may be. doors of opportunity deeply understand what them, it seems to me that And so we engage in for understanding and lies behind the boundless perhaps we should make the path, often only participation in the life dharma gates found in these vows in reverse dimly perceiving what of this universe. The each and every moment order. The true beginning that engagement may huge question is: will I of our life. may be the vow to realize mean. At first, we may see recognize them and have Dharma gates may be the Buddha Way. This is the path as merely the courage to enter boundless, but this does the rousing of bodhicitta, the pacifying of our them? In the famous not mean that there are the state of mind of a personal struggles, but short story, The Lady continued on page 2

continued from page 1 lives. We vow to have We wish to share our no barriers to passing more patience and clearer release from the chains of through them. Our ego, vision to see beyond what ego with others. To free our sense of pride, our irritates or frightens us. them means to free them anger, our easily wounded The doors are there, but from their self-delusion, feelings, our desire to can we open them not but how can we do this? strike back at perceived knowing whether behind Having ourselves gone insults, our desire to fix them we will find a lady through a process of people and our surround- or a tiger? seeking a better Way, the ings so they accord with And so, remembering realization that everything that we have vowed to that crosses our path is PILGRIMAGE TO CHINA our wishes…all these throw up iron bars across realize the Buddha Way, an opportunity for awak- June 20-July 2, 2007 the gates to the dharma. we set about a task that ening, and knowing that For complete details go to: Thus our vow to enter will last for our lifetime: awakening comes with www.southmountaintours.com dharma gates is a vow Delusions are inexhaustible, I the clearing away of delu- Click on “/Joshu Tour” to reduce the strength of vow to end them. Delusions sion, we see that we these factors in our daily are imbedded in our very don’t free beings by pros- way of thinking. The very elytizing, by preaching, by fabric of our life is delu- exhortation. We do as the Milwaukee – Schedule sion, for it is by organiz- Buddha did, we offer ing and categorizing and them the example of our January describing the world we own life’s awakening and 20 All-day sitting, 6:15 a.m. – 8:50 p.m. encounter that we make say, as the Buddha did, , 10:20 a.m. sense of it. In making “You can do it, too.” 21 All-day sitting, sense of it we both distort Looking back on what 6:15 a.m. – 4:40 p.m. and diminish it, forcing it I’ve written, I can see that February into conformity with our perhaps the Four Great 4 Movie night, special showing desires and our precon- Vows are in the correct Monks at Bat see information ceptions. Therefore, we order after all, for they on page 3 make this vow in the full begin with an aspiration 7 Introduction to Zen, 6:30 p.m. knowledge that it requires to free all beings. This can 10 Priest ordination ceremony, endless vigilance, a be done only through 10:30 a.m. NO study class 17 All-day sitting, boundless willingness to realizing the Buddha Way. 6:15 a.m. – 8:50 p.m. test the clarity of our As we enter the New Dharma Talk, 10:20 a.m. views, and an ever-present Year, let us keep these 18 All-day sitting, openness to the possibili- vows in our heart. 6:15 a.m. – 4:40 p.m. ty that we may be wrong. Beings are numberless, March We will not end myriad I vow to free them. 7 Introduction to Zen, 6:30 p.m. delusions at one stroke, Delusions are 18 All-day sitting, but we vow to end them inexhaustible, I vow 6:15 a.m. – 8:50 p.m. one by one, as they arise to end them. Dharma Talk, 10:20 a.m. in a never-ending stream. Dharma gates are 24 All-day sitting, 6:15 a.m. – 4:40 p.m. We vow to learn from boundless, I vow to our delusions and thereby enter them. To see the entire 2007 Schedule and more not to repeat them, to The Buddha Way information on Two-day sitting, visit our web site at remove at least a few is unsurpassable, I vow www.milwaukeezencenter.org from the flood. to realize it. Finally, Beings are num- -– Tonen O’Connor berless, I vow to free them.

Happenings While Tonen was not only better insulation November and visiting family in Los against the cold, but will December were busy Angeles, she had the open more successfully to months at the Zen opportunity to sit with capture cross breezes in Center. Tonen and Brad and Yuka Warner’s the summer. Tojun made several group, which she presentations: enjoyed very much. SAVE THE DATE: at Tonen: an interfaith 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, panel at Rogers Memorial New Year’s Eve we February 10, Lisa Marr held our annual candle- Hospital and a talk on will receive ordination Monks at Bat Buddhism and nature lighting and renewal of from Tonen as a priest-in- Private showing of a documen- at the Schlitz Audubon precepts ceremony, this training, joining Tojun tary film by Bob Purman Society year graced with the ring- Cobb as an assistant featuring the monks of Gampo Tojun: at the Prairie ing of a bell 108 times in priest for our Center. Abbey. Sunday, Feb. 4, 4:00 School in Racine and the traditional manner. Everyone is cordially p.m. at the film maker's office: two sections of a class And this year it was our invited to attend this True North, 2163 N. Farwell on Comparative Religion turn to host the annual joyous event, and to RSVP: Tonen at 963-0526 at Pius XI H.S. New Year’s Day Celebration bring a dish for the of Peace for members potluck lunch following. Tonen, Tojun and of the six local Buddhist Lisa Marr attended an groups who are members interfaith dinner and of the Buddhist Peace When talking about the moon, we sometimes say program at the Islamic Fellowship. it looks happy, sometimes we say it looks sad; sometimes Society of Milwaukee we enjoy ourselves drinking saké while looking at it. Each Zen Center and Tonen Our thanks to Chester moon that is seen by a human being corresponds to his attended the quarterly Sheard, who contributed karma and none of them are real. meeting of the two pieces of stained glass -Kodo Sawaki Roshi Department of Corrections art to the Zen Center. Religious Practices His representations of Advisory Committee. a seated monk and of the Buddha’s footprint And, of course, now grace the windows in December we above the stairs to the celebrated the Buddha’s second floor. Enlightenment with a well-attended three-day Thanks also to Tozen Rohatsu at the Akiyama for donating a MZC, during which considerable number of Tonen gave dharma talks Buddhist books to our based on the meal chants library and to Peter which accompany formal Johnson, who worked Monks’ meditation hall at Koshoji near Kyoto. oryoki meals. An all-day with Tonen to catalogue retreat was also held at and shelve them. the Oshkosh Correctional Institution and an extra Thermal windows were hour of practice was installed on the second added at Green Bay floor front and third floor, Correctional Institution. something we’ve long wished to do. They are

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