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Showing posts with the label Rev. Rinsen

The Long Path On A Clear Day

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Over the past two days, I've had the great fortune to marry two wonderful couples, Hyeyoung and Bruce, and Ellie and Olman who are pictured here.   What an amazing act of divine foolishness this vow to walk the long path together is.  And how utterly grateful I am for this magnificent foolishness to be expressing in these times that are for so many in our world dark and broken.   In each new generations eyes an utterly unique and precious expression of the great dance of Yin and Yang,  and of the dance beyond Yin and Yang. And for me, what a joy to be able to be a part of the dance in this particular way.   Some in the Buddhist tradition feel that the Dharma has no use for ordained clergy, and I respectfully disagree.  To be sure there have been examples of priestly misconduct, and at times a false sense of entitlement or status, and a corrective is demanded.  But the moments of birth and reaching adulthood and marriage and death are deep and...

The Lake of Enlightenment!

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I saw one of those enlightenment quotes on Facebook today: "When you are enlightened, you’ll realize that what you see and what you’ve been seeking to understand in the world is an illusion. There’s nothing to understand, nothing to gain, nothing to achieve. It’s just to be."  - Ratanjit S. Sondhe So I was compelled to write an 'enlightenment poem' in reply:  "That you three are Pugs  there is no mistake.  I give you my love,  and you piss me a lake." - Rev. Rinsen Time for me to clean up the mess...

Becoming the Buddha of You! Getting Past the Dark Side of Religion, Hitler and Mass-Thinking...

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This Dharma Talk was recorded during a Zazenkai at the Toledo Zen Center on October 25th, 2009.  Discusses the dark side of religion, Hitler, and Mass-Thinking. The Drinking Gourd Podcasts are made possible by listener donations.  Please visit thedrinkinggourd.org to make a contribution. http://thedrinkinggourd.org/becoming-the-buddha-of-you

Bodhisattvha Alert:

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PS: What truly small thing have you allowed to take over your feeling this day?

Who Is Your Enemy?

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This podcast was recorded at the Toledo Zen Center on June 3rd 2009.   In this Dharma Talk and discussion, Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik explores Shantideva's teachings about anger and the way of the Bodhisattva. Listen Here .

"What Now?"

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In my work as a University Lecturer I am in daily contact with young folk who are in that particular space that is the undergraduate experience, with all of its attendant challenges and joys. One of the particular questions that hopefully gets asked in a serious kind of way during this time is something like: "What do I want to be when I grow up? " and its a very very good question to be asking of oneself at such a time. In truth, I still ask it now and then myself, and find that the answers I have been coming to since I can remember asking the question as a much younger me still stand.  And like most people, I have had many occasions that bring this seemingly trite question right to the front of life - in all its glaring terror. These times come, ask for them or not. "Which school?"  "Which major?"  "Which person?" "What about money?" or just the straight up root of all these:  "What Now?" What Now indeed! I...

Practicing the Aftermath.

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Recently, Rev. Do-on has been involved in a local effort to save trees in a rare local habitat called an Oak Savannah   at our local treasure, the Oak Openings park . As it happens, we live smack in the midst of this great natural preserve, and Rev. Do-on has a deep heart and body connection to the Ki and feeling of the place. In fact, most days she can be found on the trails for at least some time. But then, of course, things happen. In this case, it was a tornado that back on June 5th decided to take a chunk of our treasured forest along with it. So tornado's happen, of that there is not doubt.  The question then becomes what to do with the aftermath. Kind of like my mind. No, exactly like my mind. And as one of the local community members that responded with such passion, care and intention, I found Rev. Do-on's efforts to be a great inspiration and model of how to engage the world of form as a priest of emptiness (in the pics above she is talking with ...

Yun-Men's Staff of Shallow and Deep

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Yun-Men's Staff of Shallow and Deep Recorded at the Toledo Zen Center on May 20th 2009, this Dharma Talk and discussion explores the Zen teaching of Yun-Men with Jay Rinsen Weik, and gets into a discussion of the role of the teacher in Zen training.

Just the Right Place.

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Brad, Shari, Rev. Rinsen, John and Mae. Since I can remember, I have often felt the pull of living as a Monk and in my youth I visited many monasteries in the Catholic tradition I was born into.  It was eventually a Zen monastery that would catalyze my entry into the Dharma. Today, I am so happy that I live in the world - that I did not choose to become a single monastic living in the cloister, but rather have followed the bodhisattvha path through the market place (kicking and screaming at some points to be sure) with a wife and kid and job and mortgage, directly working with the culture in ways that make sense to me and that I largely enjoy. Of course, I am at the same time an ordained Zen Buddhist Priest - the same ordination that some would refer to as a monastic one, though for me the title priest fits much more the vocation I live. And also I'm teaching Jazz at a western university, and universities are the direct heir to the western monastic tradition of learning, a...

So, What is Zen? Awakening!

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Recorded at Unity Church on May 16th 2009, this introductory public talk and discussion explores the history and relevance of Zen with Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik.