Open sitting for Presidents’ Day

Fifteen minutes after the doors were opened, the first practitioner came by for our open sitting.  If you have the day off from work, are working at home, or can get away for a zazen break, drop and sit in our zendo today until 5 pm.  There is no schedule, no bells, no meals, no services — just open time for you to sit with all beings.  Come when you’re ready, and leave when you need to.

Women in Religion panel

Last evening, Hoko joined representatives of four other faiths for a Women in Religion panel discussion at Ripon College.  Other panelists were Prof. Suzanne Katz (Judaism), Ashely Rieth (Paganism), Rev. Karen Gygax-Rodriguez (Christianity), and Nihal Shahbandar (Islam).  The event was sponsored by the Spirituality Association of Ripon College.

Southwest Zazenkai to begin March 8

Sangha members who live across town from MZC now have the weekly chance to sit zazen with others a little closer to home.  Quality Therapeutic Massage, operated by Tracie Nichols, will host our Thursday night zazenkai (sitting group) at its newly-remodeled Hale’s Corners facility.  Mirroring the regular MZC schedule, zazen will begin at 6:30 and 7:20 pm with 10 minutes of kinhin (walking) between periods.

MZC began a search for a satellite venue for zazen when a sangha survey indicated that some practitioners were interested in sitting with others but lived too far from the center to attend regularly.  The Southwest Zazenkai will replace Thursday evening sitting at MZC.

Everyone is welcome at the Southwest Zazenkai, regardless of experience level, and there is no cost (although donations will be accepted).  Quality Therapeutic Massage is at 10555 W. Parnell Street, Suite 3.  The building is just off Highway 45 and has ample parking.

First overflow Sunday!

One month after inaugurating Sunday practice, we needed to add more cushions to the zendo this morning to accommodate everyone.  One practitioner commented, “Sunday practice is huge for us.  My wife and I have been here more in the past month than in the previous five years!”

Today we also held the first of our first-Sunday workdays.  After a delicious potluck lunch, six sangha members pitched in to move furniture, organize shelves, add no-slip strips to the back stairs, prepare new materials for addition to the library, and do some general cleaning.  A gratifying amount was accomplished, and practitioners had the opportunity to eat, work and practice together.

Rusty Borkin and Les Morris carry an old and rickety table out to the curb. It was gone before we could even put a “Free” sign on it.

Mary Bernau-Eigen prepares new materials to add to the library.

Rusty Borkin checks progress as Les and Mary Morris work on moving the kitchen table.

Chucj Eigen prepares safety strips for the back stairs.

The back stairs are much safer now.

We moved the green-topped fixture from the bathroom to the kitchen for more counter space and storage.

The green counter’s previous home in the bathroom temporarily houses supplies.

Our next potluck and workday is March 4.  Please join us!

 

Rituals of daily life

Today’s dharma talk made reference to gathas, short verses we can say when doing daily tasks like getting up in the morning or taking a bath.  Here are a few used in our Soto school.

Picking up the toothbrush
As we hold the toothbrush in hand
We vow with all beings
To attain the right dharma
Spontaneously purifying ourselves.

Using the toothbrush
As we brush the teeth this morning
We vow with all beings
To acquire the eyeteeth of wisdom
Cutting off delusion.

Rinsing the mouth
As we rinse the mouth
We vow with all beings
To move toward the clear dharma
Accomplishing liberation.

Washing the face
Washing the face with water
We vow with all beings
To attain the immaculate dharma
Forever undefiled.

Entering the toilet
Using the toilet
We vow with all beings
To eliminate defilement
Removing greed, anger and ignorance.

Washing the hands
As we wash the hands with water
We vow with all beings
To acquire supremely subtle hands
With which to hold the Buddha dharma

Before eating
As we take food and drink
We vow with all beings
To rejoice in zazen
Being filled with delight in the dharma.

After eating
As we have taken food and drink
We vow with all beings
To be filled with virtuous practice
Completing the ten powers.

Tonen in South Africa

Resident Priest Emerita Tonen O’Connor got on a plane Wednesday for two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa.  We know she arrived safely, after nearly 30 hours in transit, because today she sends us this photo.  The weather forecast calls for highs in the 90s today and tomorrow, and lows in the mid 60s.

Cape Town is one of South Africa’s three capitol cities and the economic center of the West Cape province.  Almost three-quarters of the residents speak Afrikkans or Xhosa, and most of the rest speak English.  More than three-quarters are Christian, and about 10% are Muslim.

There is Buddhist practice in South Africa, although Buddhism is not a major religion there.  According to Wikipedia:

Apart from various Buddhist groups brought to the Cape Colony from Southeast Asia during the 1680s, and the many indentured labourers brought to Natal from India during the latter part of the 19th century (some of whom were Buddhist, and some of whom were Hindu who later converted to Buddhism once in South Africa), most Buddhists in South Africa are converts, and not Asian. Various Buddhist groups grew up in the major cities from the 1970s, and there has been a proliferation of distinct Buddhist traditions since the mid-1980s. These include Theravada, Zen, Nichiren and Tibetan schools. The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order has erected Nan Hua Temple, the largest Buddhist temple and monastery in Africa, in the town of Bronkhorstspruit near Pretoria. Another notable Buddhist centre in the country is the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal. The Nichiren Buddhist lay group Soka Gakkai International has a community centre in Parkwood, Johannesburg. Derivatives of Korean Zen have been established in the Western Cape. The Vipassana Association of South Africa founded by S.N. Goenka has been holding meditation retreats in the Western Cape. The Shambala, Diamond Way Buddhism (an alternative Karma Kagyu lineage) and New Kadampa traditions are some recent additions to the collection of schools.

A 2003 study estimated that in the late 1990s there were a total of 6,000 Buddhists in South Africa (3,000 of whom had Asian ancestry) out of a total population of 42 million (or 0.01% of the total population).

Buddhist Peace Fellowship sets a direction

With Hoko facilitating and Tonen taking notes, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship met tonight at the Mindfulness Community of Milwaukee.  The group, made up of practitioners from several different Buddhist traditions, discussed the four areas of activity that it’s identified for itself:

• facilitating connections between Milwaukee’s Buddhist communities
• raising awareness of Buddhist practice
• making ourselves available to provide a Buddhist perspective on public issues
• offering resources to the larger community on working with issues of social, environmental, and economic justice in ways that accord with the Buddha’s teachings

The next meeting is Tuesday, March 6 from 7 to 8:30 pm, again at the Mindfulness Community.  Everyone is welcome.

2011 annual report

Every year the Soto Zen Buddhism North American Office asks its temples to submit an activity report and some photos so that the denomination can keep track of how American Soto Zen sanghas are developing.  The reports are sent on to Sotoshu Shumucho in Japan.

Here’s our 2011 Annual Report.

Dinner at Serenity Inn

On Monday, March 26, MZC practitioners will prepare and offer dinner at Serenity Inn, a comprehensive, seven month transitional living program for homeless men who choose recovery from drug and/or alcohol addictions. This highly-structured program addresses the physical, social, emotional, financial, and spiritual needs of its residents.  As part of this program, individuals and community organizations bring dinner and eat with the men, talking together and sharing experiences.  On the Sunday before our visit, the dharma talk will focus on issues of addiction and will help prepare us to practice at Serenity Inn.  For more information, or to sign up to participate, please contact MZC’s president, Peter Johnson, at panddjohnson@sbcglobal.net.

Showing us Shoji

The path from the zendo at Hokyoji

Registration is now open for this year’s Great Sky sesshin, August 11-18.  ( See previous post here.)  This Soto Zen style sesshin draws together teachers and practitioners for seven days of deepening their understanding of the dharma under the extraordinary great sky of Hokyoji in southern Minnesota.  Our theme and text for this year’s sesshin is Dôgen’s Shôji (Birth and Death) fascicle of the Shôbôgenzô.

The sesshin is cosponsored by MZC and Cedar Rapids Zen Center.  A number of MZC practitioners have attended in previous years, taking advantage of the opportunity to meet and practice with teachers and practitioners from around the midwest.  This year’s teachers include Issho Fujita, Sôtô Zen Buddhism International Center, San Francisco; Tônen O’Connor, resident priest emerita of the Milwaukee Zen Center; Zuikô Redding, resident teacher of the Cedar Rapids Zen Center; Rosan Yoshida, resident teacher of the Missouri Zen Center; and Dôkai Georgesen, resident teacher of Hokyoji Zen Practice Community.

Our flyer and information packet provide additional information and the registration form.  Please look them over and make plans to join us for this truly wonderful practice opportunity.  New this year: pay your sesshin fees via PayPal.