Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 06/05/2022
From The Book of Serenity, Case 12 – Dizang Planting the Fields
“How do we stop our seeking that which is outside and turn the light around? How do we learn how to investigate in a way that is nonconceptual? How do we use this mind? This bright, clear, sharp, awake, miraculously aware mind? We have to bring it out of its dullness, sleepiness and lethargy. All of which are good strategies to live in a world that’s kind of hard to live in. Just shut it down. It makes sense. Lower the curtain, put up a wall, close the door. It seems to be quieter. But it’s not really a life yet. And so, in opening the curtain, opening the door, turning on that bright clear light, now we have to learn how to meet pain and sorrow. Inside and outside…”
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 04/10/2022
From The Blue Cliff Record, Case 21 – Chih Men’s “Lotus Flower, Lotus Leaves”
Shugen Roshi explores Buddha Nature as a foundational teaching of the Dharma, one we can actively study and focus on. How can we come to reveal our own enlightened nature, and what conditions are necessary for the husk of our seed to open?
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 03/13/2022
From Master Wu-men’s Gateless Gate, Case 26 – Two Monastics Roll Up the Bamboo Blinds
How do our projections affect our understanding of ourselves and the world around us? And how can we more clearly see these projections and the ways they cloud us from our own wisdom and Buddha Nature? In this talk, Shugen Roshi illustrates the reason we practice zazen remaining where we are, as well as the relationship between doubt, faith, and perseverance as we practice over time.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 02/06/2022
From Master Wu-men’s Gateless Gate, Case 13 – Deshan Carries His Bowls
How do we create our own distractedness? And how do we get caught up in our flurry of concepts? It’s not conceptual thinking itself that is the problem. Shugen Roshi offers that by taking the seat of no evasion, turning our attention inwards, we can witness how “what we think we know” impedes our experience of our lives as they are, full and complete.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 01/09/2022
From The Gateless Gate, Case 20 – A Person of Great Strength
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 12/05/2021
From Wumen’s Gateless Gate, Case 39 – Yunmen says you’ve missed it.
When we experience suffering, more often than not, we disseminate it in various ways so that others also experience suffering. However, the Buddha realized that we can actively bring suffering to rest. Don’t wait. Examine it when it arises.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 06/26/2022
The Four Immeasurables. Drawing from the teachings of Shantideva (8th century India), Dogen (13th century Japan) and Longchenpa (14th Century Tibet).
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Saturday 06/25/2022
Bodhicitta. Drawing from the teachings of Shantideva (8th century India), Dogen (13th century Japan) and Longchenpa (14th Century Tibet).
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Friday 06/24/2022
How do we relate to all that comes up in our everyday life – our “ingredients” – and what are the attitudes with which we conduct ourselves? How do we practice our lives? Hojin Sensei guides us through Master Dogen’s “Tenzo Kyōkun – Instructions for the Cook”, and explores Dogen’s “Secrets of Enlightenment”: 1) Living with a joyful heart 2) Caring with the deep concerns of a parent 3) Performing all activities with compassion.
Degna Chikei Levister, Senior Lay Student
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Thursday 06/23/2022
From a poem, “Friend”, by an early Buddhist Nun, Mita.
How do we know when we are acting out of our conditioning? Are we always aware of our emotional drivers, our fears? From the Early Buddhist nuns to Master Dogen to our contemporaries, Chikei shares her inspiration to diligently and continuously practice everything in our life (“Don’t waste your suffering.”), be vigilant of our conditioning (“Know thyself.”) and remember to hold ourselves with compassion (“Make everyone a friend, especially ourselves.”).
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Wednesday 06/22/2022
From Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo Fascicle “King of Samadhis”
We speak of Samadhi as being meditation, concentration, single-minded focus. In this talk Shugen Roshi points out that in the Buddhist sense Samadhi is based in morality and compassion. It’s not separate. It’s one aspect of the Noble Eightfold Path, all eight of which are to be cultivated together.
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…”
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei and Ron Hogen Green, Sensei
Zen Center of New York City, Fire Lotus Temple, Sunday 06/12/2022
Hojin Sensei and Hogen Sensei officiate the June 2022 Jukai ceremony at Fire Lotus Temple in which four students received the sixteen Buddhist precepts: Marie Ninsei (“Patient, Enduring Heart Vow”) Ringo, Dan Chikyuu (“Endlessly Clarifying Enlightenment”) Donohue, Tate Kairyu (“Open Dragon”) Dougherty, Stu Shintai (“Percevering Faith Mind”) Kennedy. Ninsei, Chikyuu, Kairyu, and Shintai have all been practicing as formal students and studying these moral and ethical teachings for a number of years. During the ceremony, Hojin Sensei and Hogen Sensei offer joyful encouragement to the recipients as they take up these vows.
Bear Gokan Bonebakker, Senior Monastic and Dharma Holder
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 06/12/2022
With the teaching of Bodhidharma’s “Outline of Practice” and recalling Daido Roshi’s frequent admonition: “trust yourself”, Gokan offers us heartfelt encouragement to make these teachings our own.
Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Zen Mountain Monastery, New York, Sunday 06/05/2022
From The Book of Serenity, Case 12 – Dizang Planting the Fields
“How do we stop our seeking that which is outside and turn the light around? How do we learn how to investigate in a way that is nonconceptual? How do we use this mind? This bright, clear, sharp, awake, miraculously aware mind? We have to bring it out of its dullness, sleepiness and lethargy. All of which are good strategies to live in a world that’s kind of hard to live in. Just shut it down. It makes sense. Lower the curtain, put up a wall, close the door. It seems to be quieter. But it’s not really a life yet. And so, in opening the curtain, opening the door, turning on that bright clear light, now we have to learn how to meet pain and sorrow. Inside and outside…”
Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei
Zen Center of New York City, Fire Lotus Temple, Sunday 06/05/2022
How can we hold the beauty and love in our life and the deep human suffering? In this talk, Hojin Sensei invokes the story of Patachara, one of the earliest Buddhist women ancestors: within a life of immense loss and grief she followed her heart, awakened, and became an influential teacher. Hojin Sensei also recognizes the 22nd anniversary of Fire Lotus Temple and all those who have devoted their time and energy to establishing and maintaining this refuge.
