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Newsletter Spring/Summer 2019

Keiryuji Opening Ceremonies

Keiryuji, the mountain retreat temple of Gakudo in the Spanish Pyrenees, was officially opened on the first weekend of June. Hojo-san (Junyu Kuroda Roshi) and a whole delegation of River flew over for the event. Several ceremonies were held in the beautifully remodeled Hondo (main hall) and in front of the newly construct- ed Shumidan (altar). Tenkei Roshi conducted a moving memorial service for Anjo Koren Kasman Sensei. With great gusto, Hojo-san officiated the eye-opening ceremony for the statue he had donated; he also delivered an exhilarating teisho. Gakudo Sensei gave Shukke Tokudo to his long-time resident students, Pascal Tetsuko van der Knokke and Emke Gyoen Jutte. Altogether, this event amounted to a series of highly inspirational rites of passage for the temple, as well as for its budding community of practitioners. May the flourish in the ten directions. Congratulations! Sfouf Cake Sweet AniSe teA lined tin first with a little oil or butter, then 1 teaspoon ground anise seeds (or grind spread the tahini. 1 teaspoon of whole anise seeds using * Combine the flour, durum wheat, baking a pestle and mortar.) powder, turmeric, whole anise seeds, and 250 ml (1⅛ cups) boiling water salt. Set aside. 220 g (1 cup) sugar * Put the butter or oil into a mixing bowl. CAke Add the flour mix, and beat with an electric 2 tablespoons tahini for greasing the pan beater until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 112 g (¾ cup) flour * Pour in the Sweet Anise Tea. Using a large, 175 g (1 cup) durum wheat flour shallow metal spoon or firm spatula, reach or semolina into the bottom of the mixing bowl and fold 2 teaspoons baking powder the flour into the wet ingredients until just 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric combined. Turn the bowl after each fold so 1½ teaspoons whole anise seeds that the ingredients are evenly distributed. ½ teaspoon salt Work quickly and lightly. Pour the batter 125 ml (½ cup) butter or coconut oil into the prepared baking tin and sprinkle 20 g (3 tablespoons) sesame seeds with sesame seeds. ӯ * Make the Sweet Anise Tea by dissolving * Bake for about 30 minutes or until a the sugar in the boiling water, then stir in the skewer inserted in the middle comes out ground anise seeds. Leave to cool. clean. Remove from the oven. Wait four minutes, then carefully remove from the * Line a square 22 cm (9”) baking tin with tins, and cool on a wire rack. parchment paper so that it hangs over the edges of the tin. Grease the bottom of the * To serve, cut into triangles or diamonds. This is It! What Kind of This is That? by Tenkei Roshi

Most of us know that to start practicing is one provides a variety of exemplary texts that can be used very thing, but to really keep going is another. It takes strong well for verification in Buddhist discourse. The ability of resolve to maintain one’s initial enthusiasm over the years, the old masters to quote freely from the scriptures is some- and not to allow it to stagnate somewhere along the line. times dazzling, but familiarity with anthologies like this one While looking me straight into the eyes, Maezumi Roshi may have helped them a great deal! For sure, Hakuin Zenji once told me, “I want you to go all the way.” But what does was very fond of the book and used it extensively. that really mean, and how do we go about it? How can we In terms of content, the book primarily focuses upon continue challenging ourselves to delve deeper and deeper the method of “Buddhist cultivation” as advocated by Da- into the core of our being, and upon returning to our life, hui Zonggao, a great 13th century Linji master whose work engage with ever fresher energy? Studying closely with a is still not very well known in the West. For example, The teacher, working together with fellow students, traveling Letters of Chan Master Dahui Pujue**, primarily written and meeting people from other cultures, even learning for- for a lay audience, was translated into English only recently; eign languages, have always been part of the Buddhist path. and yet, throughout the ages it has been seen by many as And so is the study of the Buddhist classics. They can be a a classic of the Southern Song. As you may know, Master great inspiration, but also a great challenge. To verify one’s Dahui is infamously famous for burning all the copies of understanding with that of the great masters takes daring. the The , the brilliant collection put Yet it can open venues that would otherwise remain closed together by his own teacher, Yuanwu. I’ve always found this to us. to be a bit of a drastic measure, and it surprises me that My most recent reading is the The Chan Whip Anthol- he never seems to get blamed too much for it. Apparently ogy*, and it has given me a real boost. Not only does it Dahui thought that publications like The Blue Cliff Record answer some of the questions I’ve had, it also, and perhaps stimulated literary indulgences and conceptual understand- more importantly, stresses the need for ongoing question- ings rather than focus on practice and direct realization. ing in our meditation. The book, a compact compendi- Fortunately for us, the one copy that survived has been um of published in 1600 by the Chinese reprinted many times throughout the ages, so we can still monk Zhu Hong, was translated into English just a few savor its wisdom. years ago. Apparently, it has been popular in China since its According to a detailed commentary by the Japanese first printing, and even more so later in Japan, and it still master Mujaku Dochu, the key point of the letters of Dahui seems very relevant for our day and age. According to the is the “smashing of the birth-and-death mind” – in other introduction, the book was conceived as a convenient and words, the sudden realization of enlightenment. This is also portable, no-nonsense “pocket companion guide” meant the key point of The Chan Whip Anthology. The primary to spur students of the Way onward in practice, while also training method advocated by Dahui as well as Zhu Hong warning against any deviation from the path. Most of the to prompt such an experience consists of a combination of text consists of carefully selected passages from the Chan cross-legged sitting and huatou practice. Huatou can be canon, ranging from the late Tang to the late Ming dynas- translated literally as “word head”, a single word or short ties, including dharma sayings of the great masters along sentence that can help us turn our own light inward. Mu*** with autobiographical details about the challenges they is perhaps the best example. The actual koan consists of a faced in order to come to full realization. Long or short, dialog between a master and a student: A monk once asked these passages for sure read as highly evocative descriptions Master Joshu in all earnestness, “Does a dog have Bud- of their zealous endeavors. It may come as a surprise that, in dha nature?”, and Joshu answered, “Mu”. But rather than addition to sitting meditation and koan study, the practice contemplating this whole dialog, we are supposed to focus of nianfo/nembutsu (invoking the name of Amitabha Bud- wholeheartedly on only the word mu. dha) is addressed quite regularly. Zhu Hong just follows the The method of turning one’s own light inward has been mainstream Chinese tradition of not separating this prac- advocated in the Surangama and by many of the old tice from Chan meditation. masters; but the use of key words from to accommo- Brief excerpts from and treatises which conclude date this seems to have started with Dahui. Besides “mu”, the book are meant to prove the credibility of the quoted one of his favorites was “a peg of dried shit”. The Chan Chan texts. In the footsteps of earlier masters like Guifeng Whip Anthology mentions many other huatou, or “cues” in Zongmi and , Zhu Hong tries to show that translation. “Who is dragging this corpse around?” is that the Chan canon is perfectly in accord with traditional the huatou that Hsu Yun, the famous 20th century Chinese Buddhist scriptures. In that sense, he promotes an open- master, used his whole life. Although he happened to reach minded attitude towards different perspectives and encour- the ripe old age of 119 years, he never became tired of it! ages us to eschew sectarianism. Altogether, the anthology The main objective is to build up by concen- was, and still is, a handy source for students and teachers. It trating on one cue in order to turn one’s own light inward Responding To The Call At Machu Picchu by Ryusho Sensei

the trash is via a treacherous train route through jungle and mountains. In addition, hotels and restaurants were throwing cooking oil directly into the Vilcanota River, the once sacred river of the Inca. A single liter of cooking oil can contaminate one-thousand liters of water. Our team immediately got to work and soon in- stalled a trash compactor which could reduce the vol- ume of plastic waste by eight times. This step enabled the train to begin removing the garbage. Six months later, a magnificent garden was growing where there had previously been walls of garbage. Moreover, plastic waste is now being sold and recycled – an ongoing source of revenue for the municipality. The next project had to do with the disastrous 6,000 In 2013, on a trip to Peru and the ancient capital of liters of cooking oil being dumped into the Vilcanota the Inca, Cusco, I was able to meet the “Alto Mesayok” River. We purchased, installed, and then donated a ma- (high priest) of the Andean religion. He said, “You can chine that can transform cooking oil into bio-diesel. be a protector of Machu Picchu.” The sacred citadel is Now, that oil heats hotels in Machu Picchu. fascinating. I had visited many times before, but had no Yet in order to complete the circle, one more problem idea how to possibly contribute to the mountaín’s well- needed to be addressed: eight tons of organic waste gen- being. Two days later, during , I whispered to all erated each day and dumped in the Urubama Valley. To the beauty surrounding me: “I am at your service.” A few tackle this, we installed three machines, based on ances- days later, I returned to my daily life in Bangkok. tral Peruvian technology, which can transform organic Little did I know that in three years I would be asked waste into “Bio-Char”. This product, which retains over to serve as a protector of Machu Picchu. And in the 80% of CO-2 and methane gases, is used to create the following years, by helping to establish new programs, best type of fertilizer for Amazonian soils which could Machu Picchu would become the first “sustainable city” potentially support one-million new trees. Moreover, of Peru and a model of sustainability for the continent. what had been a hazard is now a source of revenue. This How did this come about? marvelous machine was inaugurated in April 2019, and In 2015, I moved back to Peru as a sustainability offi- welcomed as a new model of waste-management. cer. When I arrived, I learned that Machu Picchu (one of Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” in Quech- the “Seven Wonders of the World”) was at risk of enter- uan, the language of the Inca. One only needs to visit ing the Unesco list of endangered monuments due to its to realize that this sacred mountain is fully alive and acute problem of waste management. Three-thousand imbued with intelligence and consciousness. It speaks, tourists and 10,000 inhabitants generate 14 tons of gar- and we (hopefully) listen. When you turn our own light bage each day. Garbage had been piled eight-meters high inward and listen to what is needed, you can function in on both sides of the railroad. The only way to remove ways that could never have been imagined. Planet Earth is calling her children. Let’s listen. and have a first-hand experience of our inborn Buddha na- He often uses the character 疑 (yi) which these days is most ture. I’ve noticed that Mujaku Dochu uses the same four often rendered as “doubt”. Jeffrey Broughton, translator of Chinese characters, 回光返照 (e-ko-hen-sho), that you can both The Chan Whip and The Letters of Dahui, offers “in- already find in the works of great masters like Dogen Zenji decision-and-apprehension” as an alternative; but for now, I and Linji. So, deep Chan samadhi is advocated as an indis- would rather stick to the term that has for years been part of pensable quality of practice because it is this kind of sama- the practice vocabulary for many of us. The word “doubt” dhi that can prompt realization. Like ’s sword, it is not quite accurate, though, and can even be misleading. penetrates into the heart of the matter and cuts all things But in the works of contemporary masters, it has become into one seamless whole. This awareness then serves as a a standard expression, especially in the phrase: “great faith, springboard for a completely new life. great doubt, and great determination”. Turning our own light inward requires daring because One other interesting point of translation is the term we enter the unknown. We have to be ready to investigate “gongfu” (also, kung-fu). In China at the time, it was com- and question our habitual ways of observation. And this monly used to describe the combination of cross-legged sit- is something that Dahui emphasizes as absolutely essential. ting and cue (huatou) practice. It is only in the 20th century that the term kung-fu came to refer to martial arts. So, some questioning – and I find that very interesting. When talking of you may be happy to hear that you have been practicing about samadhi, it is tempting to equate it with concentra- kung-fu all along. What a surprise! tion. Yet there is obviously more to it. An artist can concen- Once I heard Maezumi Roshi say: “This is it, this is it!” trate hard on the act of painting; but for something truly And then he quickly added, “But what kind of this is that?” creative to occur, the self has to drop away. There has to be In other words, if we only focus on “this is it, this is it”, a moment of absolute oneness of painter, paint, painting, it’s not quite right. But only “what kind of this is that?” subject, and time. Only then can something suddenly hap- is not quite right either. This dynamic focus has profound pen that hasn’t happened before. We could call that samad- consequences for our style of samadhi practice. Of course, hi as well, and in my opinion, this is what all great works of it is possible to develop samadhi by concentrating on a art radiate. Yet as far as I have seen, not many artists manage particular object; for example, an image, a sound, or the to easily apply that form of samadhi to other aspects of life. breath. One can focus in a similar way on “Mu”, and by And therein lies the difference with Chan. doing so have the sensation of disappearing into mu. Yet if If you really turn your own light inward, your concen- there is no doubt or questioning about what mu actually is, tration becomes samadhi, but it’s not focused on anything we will never discover its true potential. We may just end in particular. You focus very hard, but you focus on an over- up bellowing like a cow, “Muuuu, muuuu”! On the other whelming question: This is it, but what is it? What is this hand, if we only focus on the question, “What is ‘mu’?” we mind? Who am I? Or, what is mu, really? Strangely enough, will most likely ignite the cognitive faculty and get lost in the harder you look in, the less you find – and actually, that thought patterns. So, samadhi requires focus, but it should is the point. Rather than living with answers, you learn to also include questioning. live with questions. The mind can open to such an extent, This approach can even be applied to concentration you can forget the self without being involved in any spe- on the breath. You can become one with the breath by al- cial activity. And this means that you can start transferring lowing all physical and mental sensations to be absorbed that selfless attention to everything you do, whether it is into it; just breathing through everything that arises. But sitting or standing, walking or lying down, eating or talk- what is it that breathes? If that question is not part of your ing, alone or with others, at work or while resting. It’s con- meditation, you’re likely to stay on the beaten path, failing tinuous practice. Any sudden break-through, great or small, to break through to the unconditioned realm of our true needs to be followed by ongoing, gradual cultivation for nature. Similarly, the practice of nembutsu (nianfo), taking that awareness to manifest in all of our daily affairs. in the Buddha, can be considered part of Chan train- That reminds me of the first Buddhist teaching I ever re- ing only if it includes questioning as to who is actually do- ceived. It was in a Tibetan monastery in the south of France. ing the reciting. This questioning can raise a healthy sense At the time, I was still young and wondering whether I of panic, or even despair, and that’s why the word “doubt” should pursue a career as an artist painter, or just throw my- is probably not quite strong enough. If you really look into self completely into Buddhist practice. So, when I was given the self, you unavoidably lose your grip on whoever you the chance to see the master of the monastery, I asked him think you are – and you’re also in the dark as to where that that question. He looked at me and replied, “If a painter will lead. In fact, when practicing the koan “Mu”, for ex- works really hard, he may become a maître de peinture. But ample, you end up questioning not only what you know, if somebody really practices Buddhism, he may become a but also what you don’t know. Mu turns into an all-perva- maître de l’univers.” A bold statement, and perhaps a bit sive question. We could say that you become one with the over the top. But I see now that there is truth to it. Do- question. Taking a leap of faith, you suddenly find yourself gen Zenji talks about being enlightened by all things. So, being a question mark. not only can painting enlighten you, but in fact, anything One thing that may be important to remember here is you engage in can as well. Isn’t this miraculous? The world that the expression, “turning your own light inward” can around us becomes alive. It is as if the samadhi we send out, easily be misunderstood. The words are just a directional to whomever or whatever we encounter, suddenly shines sign, and their purpose is to help us find our way in. But back. Even so-called inanimate objects start to speak to us when we really follow the sign, where do we go? Just con- and invite us to come up with compassionate responses. sider, in there are at least four different words for Of course, the attention we give to something just shows, mind, and Yogacara teaching recognizes eight or even nine especially when it’s done with our whole heart. It shows not levels of consciousness. So, what are we looking into, and only in our character, how we communicate and deal with how deep are we going? In order to really experience the other people, but also in our lifestyle and how we take care sudden transformation Zhu Hong and Dahui emphasize, of our environs. The energy we send out always radiates we need to go much deeper than most of us can even imag- back – whether we’re conscious of it or not. It shows in our ine. It’s not really all that complicated, it’s just difficult -be face and demeanor, and also in our places of work, homes, cause we have to go against the stream of our usual aware- and gathering places. Often, it is visible right away, at least ness and the wish to come to some clear conclusion. Most for somebody with Chan experience. Some years ago, when of us need the help of someone with more experience who monks from Beijing Lonquan Temple visited Zen River, I can demonstrate how this actually works. was very touched by what I saw. When they entered the Anyway, let’s be clear: Chan samadhi includes Hatto, they took it very seriously and lined up with total Lots of weeds to tackle in the Zen River garden. Ground elder pervades everywhere! focus. It was so beautiful. They are used to huge temples, it is right now. Every time I pass through it, I sense some- of course, with massive statues and elaborate decorations. thing that is difficult to describe. What could that be? Some Compared to those temples, Zen River is only a small and people once visited the studio of a friend of mine and asked simple barn. But the monks must have picked up on some about a canvas he had just finished. They were intrigued, of the samadhi that has imbued our Hatto over the years. but wondered what it meant or what it was that he wanted They showed great appreciation, even respect. We did a last to express. He had trouble finding the right words; so, he service just before their departure. As we finished chanting, finally pointed to the painting and exclaimed, “Just this!” a monk suddenly jumped out of the ryoban line and gave Nowadays, I often feel like saying the same thing about my me a big hug. life. They were not blind to the beauty of our temple, of A Zen temple may be a good place to learn how to direct course, and they admired the statues, calligraphies, and your samadhi unconditionally to your environment, and to other paraphernalia. They even noticed that our Zendo is realize how samadhi can at some point start to shine back, designed in a style that was developed in China during the not only to you, but to anyone who is sensitive to it. Yet , a style that nowadays can only be found in in principle, this can be practiced anywhere at any time – Japan. Nevertheless, our set-up is just no match for what at the family dinner table and a board meeting, in super- they’re used to in their temples. Fortunately, like in any markets and in traffic jams. Somehow, you’re never alone good artwork, quality is not necessarily about complexity. anymore; and, you find surprising responses to whatever is It’s the samadhi that counts. Compared to the masterpieces being asked of you. For meaningful communication, even of Rubens, which are very elaborate and notable for their trash cans can be fine partners. When samadhi is charged incredible technical skill, the paintings of Van Gogh seem with questioning, it creates an environment with an open relatively simple and straightforward. Yet both masters are nature; and therefore, you are always invited in. You may world-famous. I think it’s because their samadhi just radi- never know why or how this happens – it is not that your ates towards you – there is almost no escaping it. That’s the questioning leads to conclusive answers. When you’re will- quality they share. Even if you don’t understand the artist’s ing to live with questions, your life just becomes more cre- intention at all, something happens to you when you look ative. This is it! But what is it? at these paintings. Especially on the free days I like to leisurely walk around Notes in the temple; and now that Spring has arrived, the garden * The Chan Whip Anthology: A Companion to Zen Practice, translated by is part of the tour. Of course, we’ve all worked hard to make Broughton and Watanabe, Oxford University Press, 2015. the whole place look like it is right now. Even so, I am often ** The Letters of Chan Master Dahui Pujue, translated by Broughton and amazed that Zen River has come to this point. It’s almost Watanabe, Oxford University Press, 2017. *** For this article, I used the Chinese pronunciation of certain names and as if everything happened of its own accord. How did we terms because that is how they feature in both references. But for Master manage to get so many things in just the right place? When Zhaozhou and the koan “Wu”, I preferred the Japanese pronunciations, “Joshu” I look at the new temple gate, it almost seems to have sim- and “Mu”, because that is how they feature in the curriculum of the White ply walked over to our property and decided to stay where Plum . CONTACT: Zen River, Oldörpsterweg 3, 9981 NL Uithuizen, Netherlands www.zenrivertemple.org [email protected] Tel. +31 (0)595 435039 - - - - Genpo Roshi Roshi Genpo so (head monk) for this summer . Soshin met Tenkei in in England Roshi 1996 during . became his main teacher and gave him monastic ordi Zen River is happy River Zen thatto announce - Wis Andreas Sōshin be Shu neiwski will

[email protected] Shusō Sōshin Shusō 4–6

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az With r k 2019 orkshop en anahashi alligraphy Ctober z t W C o nation in 2005. However, he often attends sesshin at nation in 2005. However, sons par and has, together with his three River, Zen We 2003. since Week ticipated in the annual Family look forward to all the best, and already wish Soshin 4th when he will face the on August his Hossenshiki dragons and elephants in ! ; or send using Paypal to ; or send using Paypal Monastic Fund emple oAt t

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B iveR en Z R ...... New Year Sesshin Year ...... New otheR ...... Weekend Sesshin ...... Weekend

en ...... Rohatsu Sesshin ...... Rohatsu Z At Not everyone knows that these dedicated residents also make monthly financial contributions, often for many also make monthly financial contributions, often that these dedicated residents everyone knows Not who would was established to help support full-time residents Fund Monastic River ago, the Zen A few years July 27–30...... Part 1 27–30...... Part July 2 3–8...... Part August 3 10–15...... Part August 4 17– 24...... Part August BIC/SWIFT: INGBNL2A; Acc. name: ‘Zen River’ IBAN: NL33INGB0009233632; Madrid...... w/Tenkei Roshi, Sept. 29 Sept. Roshi, w/Tenkei Madrid...... Zazenkai Oct.3 Sensei, w/Daishin Düsseldorf...... Zazenkai Nov.16-17 Sensei, w/Jifu Sesshin Rotterdam..Weekend CITY 7–8; led by 5–6, December 6–7, October July & Jifu. Senko ANGO 2019 SUMMER Sesshin 21–23...... Weekend June Seminar Minds 6–11...... Young July Sesshin Monthlong 24...... Summer 27–Aug. July ceremony Hossenshiki 4 11:00 AM...... Shuso August INTERIM 2019 FALL Sesshin 20–22...... Weekend September Tanahashi w/ Kaz 4–6..Calligraphy workshop October Leaf Sesshin 19–24...... Falling October WINTER ANGO 23–FEB. 22, 2020 NOV. 23 – 30 Nov. 1 27 – Jan. Dec. 17–19 January Seminar Rivers 1–2...... Young February Closing Sesshin 15–22...... Ango February Daily affairs at Zen River are diligently maintained by a handful of full-time residents that keep the momentum by a handful of full-time diligently maintained are Zen River affairs at Daily laundry and clean workshop, office, garden, reception, long hours in the kitchen, atelier, works going. Everyone years; sooner or later, they run out of means. Zen River also supports monastics, and it is hoped that the they run River several out of means. Zen sooner or later, years; time. over numbers can steadily increase difficulty in would have otherwise River status, and without whom Zen be unable to continue their residential would like to help, support you kindly ask for your of this fund. If We continuing to function in the same way. please donate to: ing, and maintains the daily schedule so members can join anytime.