Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 12/04/2022
From The True Dharma Eye, Case 95 – Buddha’s “Teachings of a Lifetime”
This Sunday morning we concluded ZMM’s weekend zazen vigil in celebration and in gratitude of Buddha’s enlightenment. In this dharma discourse, Shugen Roshi reflects on the Buddha’s life after and also before his enlightenment, his search, his process, his questions, and his teachings. The story is about all of us together; how we stay true to our intentions, how we bring the dharma into our daily lives.
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei
Zen Center of NYC, Fire Lotus Temple, Sunday 12/12/2021
Dharma talk at the completion of the vigil commemorating Buddha’s enlightenment.
Hojin sensei speaks to the life of Buddha before and after his enlightenment. Her skillful narration points to the same experiences we may share with Shakyamuni, and we can find an inspiration to practice wholeheartedly.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 12/12/2021
From Dongshan’s “Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi”
Shugen Roshi offers this Dharma Discourse as a fitting teaching at the completion of this year’s Buddha’s Enlightenment Vigil. We do the vigil to endeavor what the Buddha did. And there is indeed something to celebrate; that the Buddha decided to teach and transmit what he realized. Dongshan’s song starts out by imploring us to take care of this intimate, profound teaching. “Now you have it, keep it well.”
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
The Transmission of the Light, Case #1
Zen Mountain Monastery, 12/9/2018
In this talk, given following our annual vigil to celebrate the Buddha’s enlightenment, Shugen Roshi evokes the Shakyamuni’s profound humanity and exceptional faith, emphasizing that we show our reverence for the Buddha and his teachings by actualizing them in our own place and time, our own bodies and minds.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, 12/8/2018
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.”
