Rev. Haryo Young, M.O.B.C. In his “Rules for Meditation”, Great Master Dogen asks us: “Why are training and enlightenment differentiated since the Truth is universal?” This is a restatement of what was his central spiritual question as a young man, that being, essentially, “If we are enlightened from the first, why do we need to train?” The answer Dogen found became a cornerstone of his teaching, namely, the unity of endless training and enlighte…
Rev. Mokugen Kublicki, M.O.B.C. — Great Ocean Dharma Refuge, Pembrokeshire, Wales – UK — Sometimes we know it; sometimes we know it less. Through darkness and light, confusion or sorrow, the Eternal is in pursuit of us, and calls us to return Home. Sometimes we know it; sometimes we know it less. We ourselves long to return Home. We long for a remembered simplicity of heart and to see with bright, unsaddened eyes. We long to love without fear, ju…
…e character for heart-mind was noted, and the meaning of this character, (i.e. essence, spirit, heart, physical and spiritual, as well as mind and Mind) blended into the meaning of the Sanskrit letter. Our tradition holds the whole meaning of the Sanskrit letter and Chinese character together indistinguishably. Thus we have the “three circles of the Soto Lineage” as well as the three circles made by the celebrant with the spade or torch at the fun…
…sing on our practice and whose example continues to be an inspiration to us. These teachers include Reverend Master Jiyu-Kennett, who brought our practice from Malaysia and Japan and who worked tirelessly to help us establish our own practice here; Keido Chisan Koho Zenji, Reverend Master Jiyu-Kennett’s Japanese teacher who transmitted the Dharma and our practice to her and encouraged her to pass on the teaching to those of us in the West who came…