Apr 12 - 18

Spring, week 4

"The test of a good conflict as opposed to one that is harmful is that there is no residue afterward. Everyone feels good afterward. It's clear. It's over. The air is pleasant. It's great, though rare." --Joko Beck

Saturday Zen: Sat Apr 14, 10:00 - 11:45am, room 24
Community UU, 468 Rosedale Ave, White Plains, NY.
Practice to be led by Meredith.

Morning Zen. Mon-Fri, 6:00 - 7:15am -- Basement Zendo. See HERE.

Chants
For Thu Apr 12 - Wed Apr 18:

• Great Doubt, p. 18
• Song of Realizing the Dao, p. 31
• Unending Truth, p. 36

Opening and Closing for April:

• Opening: Gatha of Atonement, p. 5
• Closing: Spring Everywhere, p. 75 + Wake All the Beings, p. 11

See Boundless Way Zen Sutra Book, 4th ed. and
BoWZ Westchester Chant Schedule

Reading this week: Charlotte Joko Beck, Nothing Special: Chap. 15, "The Tomato Fighters," pp. 97-102.

Question. "Arguments are fine, but only if they are fun" (p. 97). Describe one argument you've been in that wasn't fun -- and one that was. Would you rather have no arguments -- or more of the fun kind? What can you do about that?

At Boundless Way Temple, 1030 Pleasant St, Worcester, MA:

• Sat May 12, 9:00-17:00. "Buddhism 101." INFO HERE.

Raven Tale: Ordinary Morality

No nature photographer will capture my image
Trotting with a limp former rabbit hanging from my jaws.
I haven't the predator's skill,
And I do my killing indirectly.
No journalist's expose will limn the contrast between
The misery in my sweatshops
And the opulence surrounding my person,
Though weekly I make payment to some merchant
To sustain oppression and disparity.
It's not that evil and sublime interweave,
Or co-depend, or mutually define,
Though they do all that too.
It's that every act is both.
It's that this is no excuse.

KOAN INDEX