Cops Raid Zen

Those darn cops, why won't they leave Zen alone?

Emptiness Is Form

"Emptiness (sunyata) must not be confused with nothingness. Emptiness is not non-existence and it is not non-reality.

What is emptiness then?"

Good question. Click the link and read on.
Emptiness Is Form

More info on Tree Leaf Zen

I received this additional info by email:

I have made a personal vow to sit Zazen online, every day (rain of shine) for the next 9 years. It is and will be netcast from wherever life takes me, on happy days and sad, no difference. So far, we have people sitting along with me in the US, UK, various places in Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. They all share in common the fact that they cannot easily commute to a Zen Center. Some have serious health concerns, some are elderly and do not drive, some live in remote areas, or just have to stay home to take care of their kids or other family members. Each has been cut off from participation in a Sangha on a regular basis. Now, by 'tuning in' to our 'Daily Zazen' broadcast, they can join in a Soto Zen sitting and Sangha.

The broadcast is very simple: We chat online for the first 5 minutes about Zen practice and life in general, laugh and cry together. People send me emails, and I respond to them as best I can. After those first few minutes, we sit Zazen. A bell rings, there is 20 or so minutes of silence, then the bell rings again. At that point, the sitting is over until we sit again the next day. The program is meant to be participatory: After the 5 minute chat, the viewers and I are meant to actually sit together ... all without thought of 'near' or 'far'.

I am a Soto priest in the line of Gudo Wafu Nishijima, and I live and teach in Ibaraki, Japan. (If it is important, I am a member of both the American Zen Teachers Association: http://americanzenteachers.org and the Soto Zen Buddhist Association: http://www.szba.org/ The only reason I mention that is because those organizations are attempting to uphold basic standards for Zen practice and teaching in the West). I like to describe myself as "Brad Warner's nice-but-less-exciting older brother"). I also will soon start live broadcasts of Sesshin and the like, that people can join in from home.

Please have a look at our daily broadcast. The one I recommend especially is:

Meditating with Kids (& other 'Distractions')

http://treeleafzen.blogspot.com/

Treeleaf Zendo

I was emailed the following announcement:

We would like announce that the doors are 'officially' open on our ONLINE ZENDO & SANGHA, and our VIDEO-BLOG. We also soon will begin LIVE online-video broadcasts of weekly Zazen sittings, talks and multi-day Sesshin:

http://treeleafzen.blogspot.com

The website, blog and broadcast sittings are meant for people who cannot travel to sit and be with others, perhaps due to health concerns, or not driving at night, having to take care of kids, or their living in a place without a Sangha close by. Our Zazen sittings and Sangha will always be close by.

For now, we have recorded Zazen sittings and talks, such as this "Sit-a-long Zazen":

http://treeleafzen.blogspot.com/2007/04/sit-long-zazen.html

We also have online and Ipod-ready Zazen timers. Although our online Sangha is meant mainly for people who cannot travel far from home, we hope anyone and everyone will feel free to use and download our timers and broadcast sittings. They are our gift to everyone who finds them helpful (for example, who might wish to use the Ipod/Mp3 version for some Zazen at work).

http://www.treeleaf.org/meditation.html

We are a Soto Zen Sangha in the lineage of Gudo Wafu Nishijima, with teacher Jundo Cohen (who resides in Ibaraki, Japan and, sometimes, Florida with wife and son). Our focus is on a very down-to-earth, 'Just Sitting' Zazen practice (not much for ceremonies, statues, beads, costumes or other bells and whistles).

http://www.treeleaf.org/aboutus.html

We hope to establish a true community, and questions or comments can be sent to Jundo at any time, or posted on the blog or community forum (www.treeleaf.org/meeting.html).

If you know anyone who, due to health concerns or the like, cannot commute to sit with others, please introduce them to our site.

Like life and the universe, it is all Free! Everyone is always welcome, and there is no being "far away."

Gassho, Treeleaf Zendo

http://www.treeleaf.org

Awakenings: Zen Figure Painting in Medieval Japan - Japan Society - Art - Review - New York Times

If you're in New York, you might want to check out this art show:

". . . with four dozen paintings of Buddhist gods and saints hung in shrinelike alcoves, it is certainly visually transporting. And it covers a broad swath of time and geography, bringing together 13th- to 16th-century hanging scrolls not only from Japan but also from China, where Zen, called Chan in Chinese, originated."