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Dogen's waka:
Dew on the Grass
Shohaku Okumura
朝日待つ
asahi matsu
草葉の露の
kusaba no tsuyu no
ほどなきに
hodo naki ni
急ぎな立ちそ
isogina tachi so
野辺の秋風
nobe no akikaze
The dewdrops on a blade of grass,
waiting for the morning sunrise,
[are existing] only for a short while.
Autumn wind in the field!
"Don't begin to blow in a hurry."
A dewdrop is beautiful and yet stays only for a short time. There are expressions such as 露珠(roshu), a dewdrop that is as beautiful as a jewel and 露華(roka), dewdrops shining in the sunlight like flowers. Our life, that is precious but impermanent without perpetual self-nature, is also compared to a dewdrop (露命, romei), dewdrop-like life. Dogen Zenji used this expression several times.
Read more.
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Mission statement updated
With input from local sangha members, the board of directors has adopted an updated mission statement:
Sanshin Zen Community exists to enable the practice of shikantaza in the style of Uchiyama Roshi, deep study of Dogen Zenji's teachings, and commitment to beneficial action. The statement will be used as the foundation of Sanshin's strategic planning activities as well as fundraising and communications.
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Jisho takes novice vows
Jisho Ai Takahashi from Japan took novice vows with Okumura Roshi at Sanshin. Members of the local sangha and several of Jisho's friends were on hand to lend their support.
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New videos online
"Wake Up to Reality" featuring Okumura Roshi is now available for free viewing at Interior Mythos Journeys.
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Arkansas welcomes Okumura Roshi
Okumura Roshi made a visit to
Gyobutsuji, founded by Shoryu Bradley
in Kingston, AR. Shoryu made arrangements for a public talk at the town library during Okumura Roshi's stay. See more photos on our Facebook page.
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Yuko teaches at Hokyoji
Yuko attended the Zen Buddhist Sewing Teacher's meeting at
Hokyoji Zen Community in southern Minnesota to teach about nyoho sewing and lead discussion. The meeting was attended by sewing teachers from around the country.
See more photos on our
Facebook page.
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Shotai stops by
Shotai de la Rosa stopped by Sanshin for a visit during a recent brief trip to Bloomington from her home in California.
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Anshin launches new website
graphics and photos, revised texts and easy navigation. Compatible with
tablets and smart phones, it has a full English version. Anshin was founded by Gyoetsu Epifania and Doryu Cappelli.
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Nyoho workshop introduces Koun Franz to Sanshin
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Okumura Roshi visits Stillpoint
As he does each fall, Okumura Roshi led a weekend sesshin at Stillpoint in Pittsburgh. He has been visiting the sangha since 1996.
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Work day focuses on groundskeeping
Under the direction of work leader Hosshin, the sangha tackled a task list that included everything from felling trees to digging a trench. Here, Hosshin and Doju lower a large branch safely to the ground and Iris and Yuko plant flowers. See more photos on our Facebook page.
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Local residents experience a formal meal in the zendo
Hoko brought her whole Ivy Tech class of more than a dozen people to Sanshin to experience a formal Zen meal using oryoki. With the help of Jisho and Seigen, she led the group through opening and using the oryoki sets, chanting the meal verses, and paying attention to the rice, soup and salad being served. The three-evening class, offered in partnership with the community college, focuses on the Zen approach to food and how to take those teachings into everyday life.
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Sanshin T-shirt :
Live by Vow, Not by Karma
Shirt features Sanshin's logo on the front and an original design by St. Louis artist Carol Corey on the back. Carol is a longtime friend and supporter of Sanshin, and her art has been shown throughout the St. Louis area. She provides graphic design services for many St. Louis non-profit groups and is active with
Shinzo Zen Meditation Center
and its prison outreach program,
Inside Dharma
.
Also available in light gray and white.
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Make your plans to visit us in the new year!
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Rohatsu Sesshin
November 30 - December 8
$345
This sesshin commemorates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha. During this sesshin we practice in complete silence. The schedule consists of fourteen 50-minute periods with a short break, following each meal. The sesshin is an opportunity for participants to focus strictly on zazen with minimal distractions. (
Please note that Okumura Roshi will be in Japan during this time; Hoko will lead the sesshin.)
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Are we reaching you?
Do we have the best and most current contact information for you? If you've changed your e-mail address or moved to a new place of residence, or if we've never had complete information about how to reach you, it's time to update your record. Please take a moment to go here to send us the contact information you'd like us to use. We'll check it against your current record and update as needed. Don't miss any of the upcoming communications from Sanshin -- update your info today!
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Make a gift to Sanshin Zen Community
Whether as a practitioner, a financial supporter, a listener/reader or simply as an interested friend, Sanshin welcomes you to our international sangha. Like all nonprofit organizations, Sanshin depends on the generous offerings of those whose lives are helped by the work it does. Visit our
website
to set up a monthly donation or make a one-time gift online, or download a
form
to use when giving by check.
More ways to give
Community give-back programs
Designating Sanshin Zen Community as the recipient of give-back programs is a painless way to provide funding support simply by making your usual purchases!
Amazon Smile: Instead of going to Amazon's regular homepage, go to
Amazon Smile and sign into your Amazon account. Choose Sanshin Zen Community as your charity, and .05% of what you spend will come to us. Remember, only purchases at smile.amazon.com (not www.amazon.com or the mobile app) support Sanshin.
HaloCard: If you're in the market for a new Visa credit card, consider getting a
HaloCard and joining the friends of Sanshin who have designated us as their nonprofit beneficiary. One percent of what you spend will come to us.
Kroger: If you shop at Kroger with a Plus card, your regular purchases of groceries and household goods can provide financial support for Sanshin. Create or sign in to your
Kroger account, enroll in Kroger Community Rewards® with your card, and choose Sanshin as your organization. Every time you shop and swipe your card, a percentage of what you spend will come to us.
Employer giving programs
Friends of Sanshin who work at companies like Google and Adobe are providing regular financial support through payroll deduction and employer gift-matching programs. Check with your employer's human resources or community relations department to see whether giving opportunities like these are available at your workplace.
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All contents copyright © 2017 Sanshin Zen Community
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