The True Dharma Eye: Master Dogen’s Three Hundred Koans (Shinji Shobogenzo), Case 149
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 08/28/2022
From the Mahayana teaching The Uttaratantra Shastra – The Sangha Treasure
Shugen Roshi encourages us to look deeply and realize the three treasures as our own nature, our own body and mind. And although we manifest them (how we relate to the ancestors, how we receive the teachings, how we practice, how we gather together as a community, etc.) in terms particular to the Buddhist path, when we truly take refuge in the three treasures we are realizing them as the nature of all of humanity. No boundaries. Sangha is community. We can think of it as “the sangha of one”; i.e. you and the many beings that populate your mind and body. We can think of it as this community practicing together. Sangha is the virtue of harmony. Sangha is the Three Treasures.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Saturday 08/27/2022
From the Mahayana teaching The Uttaratantra Shastra – The Dharma Treasure
“Dharma” refers to The Law, The Teachings, Reality. But what is it actually, beyond the superficial? Shugen Roshi explores all the many aspects of Buddhist practice which together bring us to a true encounter with the Dharma.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Wednesday 08/24/2022
From the Mahayana teaching The Uttaratantra Shastra – The Buddha Treasure
What is it that makes Buddhist meditation, liturgy, teachings, practices, the precepts that we follow, the vows that we take, a path to liberation? And how is it that we can awaken to the three treasures – the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha – in our everyday lives? Shugen Roshi encourages us to see the Buddha Treasure right within ourselves.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 06/19/2022
From The Book of Serenity, Case 70 – Jinshan Asks About Nature
“What happens in the moments when the self has been seen through and we are still being held back? In that moment, that which has been seen is not being actualized. Having tamed the untamed, having freed the buddha from its entanglements, those entanglements still have energy, still have life. That’s why the idea that we can practice, apply effort, have an experience that we call enlightenment and be done is a false idea. What is this whole idea of being ‘done’? If you’re an artist, when are you done? If you’re a school teacher, a parent, when are you done? Not just done in the sense that there is something more to do, but done in the sense of strengthening your strength, refining your skill…”
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Saturday 05/28/2022
From Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo Fascicle “Bussho: Buddha Nature”
When do the seeds of our practice ripen? Will our Buddha Nature appear at some moment in the future, or is it present now and we just don’t see it? In this talk, Shugen Roshi explores the relationship between practice and time, how we practice for the now and observe the cause and effect of our karma over time.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 03/06/2022
Shugen Roshi introduces the theme of our 90-day Spring ango intensive training period, Faith in Buddha Nature. If you’d like to learn more about our Ango program and possibly participate, please click here: https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/ango/
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Saturday 03/05/2022
From Master Dogen’s 300 Koan Shobogenzo (True Dharma Eye), Case 10 – Qingyuan’s “Come Closer”
How do we walk the Path amidst our perceived distractions and obstructions? In this talk, Shugen Roshi explores the power of trust, and its relationship to vulnerability and intimacy. How do we trust in the Dharma? And ultimately, how do we trust ourselves?
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Thursday 12/30/2021
From Transmission of the Light, Case 41 – The 40th Ancestor, Great Master Tongan Daopi
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, 12/8/2018
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
The True Dharma Eye: Master Dogen’s Three Hundred Koans (Shinji Shobogenzo), Case 149
Zen Mountain Monastery, 8/26/2018
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt Tremper, New York, Sunday 03/26/2023
From Master Dogen’s 300 Koan Shobogenzo (The True Dharma Eye), Case 288 – Zhaozhou’s “Indestructible Nature”
Shugen Roshi talks about the MRO’s newly formed Sangha Harmony Advisory Council; how and why it came about.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt Tremper, New York, Sunday 03/19/2023
From Master Wu-men’s Gateless Gate, Case 16 – Yün-men: The Sound of the Bell
Setting out on a spiritual path… is it about seeking and finding answers that will put our questions to rest? Or is about seeing deeply, with faith, doubt and determination, in equal measure; relaxing about finding answers and instead cultivating a path of continually living the questions?
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt Tremper, New York, Saturday 03/18/2023
Shugen Roshi offers the rich heritage of teachings on Zazen; this fundamental activity in the practice of Zen Buddhism.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mount Tremper, New York, Sunday 03/12/2023
How do we “cultivate a trust in our non-thinking mind”? What happens when you “give yourself over to everyday mind”? Shugen Roshi illustrates these activities beginning with the the story of Deshan’s awakening.
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei
Zen Center of New York City, Fire Lotus Temple, Saturday 03/11/2023
Hojin Sensei offers Dharma words and a reading of Dogen’s fascicle Zenki, “Undivided Activity” during a Zazenkai at Fire Lotus Temple.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mt Tremper, New York, Sunday 03/05/2023
Shugen Roshi introduces the theme of our 90-day Spring Ango training period, “Birth and Death.” Preceding Shugen Roshi’s dharma talk, you’ll hear an 8 minute abridged version of the opening ceremony. If you’d like to learn more about our Ango program and possibly participate, please click here: https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/ango/
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei
Zen Center of New York City, Fire Lotus Temple, Sunday 03/05/2023
Hojin Sensei opens the Spring 2023 Ango at Fire Lotus Temple. She asks, of this Ango’s theme, “Birth and Death,” what is birth? what is death? These themes will be explored through readings, liturgy, art practice, and many other offerings at Fire Lotus Temple and Zen Mountain Monastery this Spring.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mount Tremper, New York, Saturday 03/04/2023
“Home Leaving” traditionally referred to a person leaving their life behind and becoming a monastic. Shugen Roshi talks about Home Leaving in a deeper, complete sense that applies to all of us on the spiritual path, using the story of Punyamitra and the teachings of Nagarjuna to the writings of Zen Master Hongzhi.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, Mount Tremper, New York, Sunday 02/26/2023
One of the stories of Bodhidharma (the founder of the Zen Lineage) goes this way: that he sat in his cave facing the wall for 9 years. We emulate this during our daily zazen practice. We also say that we’re on the Bodhisattva path, actively practicing the way of the Bodhisattva in our daily lives. So what does sitting facing the wall have to do with the activity of the Bodhisattva? What is the “activity of facing the wall?” Shugen Roshi talks about the ways in which we take up this fundamental practice, and asks: What is it to “study the self” as Dogen says? How are we facing our fears? How do we go “beyond the fear of differences?”
Degna Chikei Levister, MRO Senior Lay Student
Zen Center of New York City, Fire Lotus Temple, Sunday 02/26/2023
How do we live a life grounded in truth? And how does our conditioning lead us to step outside of ourselves and look for truth elsewhere? Drawing on her own experience on and off the cushion, Chikei discusses the Fourth Grave Precept, “Manifest Truth, Do Not Lie.”