Group Koan Practice at Shove Chapel
Monday, August 2015
This Monday, at Shove Chapel, we’ll have one period of meditation followed by a group Koan discussion.
From Joan Sutherland’s “Acequias and Gates”:
“Koans are a spiritual practice in the sense that they break us out of our self-centered habits of heart and mind so that we can experience the true body of reality — made of person, world, and vastness — as our own.”
Many of you who have been practicing with Springs Mountain Sangha have experienced the beauty and power of Koan Practice, working one-on-one with a teacher or in a group setting. For those of you who have yet to meet Koans, as we practice with them, this is a great opportunity to dip your toes in the waters (and good luck not getting wet!).
See you there!
Frank Actis
Here are the Koans we will bring in with us. We probably will only have time for one, but we’ll see where the wild horses take us:
Koans for August 31, 2015
One day Dongshan asked Xuefeng, “What are you doing?”
“Chopping out a log for a bucket,” replied Xuefeng.
“How many chops with your axe does it take to complete?” asked Dongshan.
“One chop will do it,” answered Xuefeng.
“That’s still a matter of this side. What about a matter of the other side?” asked Dongshan.
“To accomplish it directly without laying a hand on it,” replied Xuefeng.
“That’s still a matter of this side. What about a matter of the other side?” asked Dongshan.
Xuefeng gave up.
# 38 from The Record of Tungshan
When the Master first set out on a pilgrimage, he met an old woman carrying water. The Master asked for some water to drink.
The old woman said, “I will not stop you from drinking, but I have a question I must ask first. Tell me, how dirty is the water?” 58
“The water is not dirty at all,” said the Master.
“Go away and don’t contaminate my water buckets,” replied the old woman.
# 25 from The Record of Tungshan