Taking Part in the Gathering, Term 3, 2024.

Taking Part – Spring Term of 2024.    Ordinary Mind is the Way.

The question, ‘What is the Way?’ is a kind of Zen classic, cropping up again and

again in the narrative encounters of students with the great Zen ancestors.

And one place it crops up is Case 19 of the Gateless Gate, when the very young

Zhaozhou asked his teacher, Nanquan, ‘What is the Dao?’ Of course, the character

‘Dao’ - the innate, inconceivable, untraceable, inarguable, flowing nature of what is –

translates also as ‘the Way’.

Nanquan famously replied, ‘Ordinary mind is the Dao’. This reality, this most natural

mind – one indivisible matter. But Zhaozhou wanted to know the way to this wide

and generous country of ‘Ordinary Mind’? ‘Should I try to direct myself to it, or not?’

he (wisely) asked.

‘To direct yourself towards it is to turn it away from you’, he learns. Something as

vast and boundless as outer space, yet as intimate and edgeless as this very breath

– what does it look like, to concede to this fully?

Wumen sets out the Way to live at the middle of the middle, in his verse for this

case:

          Spring comes with flowers, autumn with the moon,

          Summer with a breeze, winter with snow.

          When useless things don’t stick in the mind,

          That is your best season.

In this Spring term of Gathering, let’s invite Zhaozhou to join us, on a walk through

the many shades of ‘Ordinary Mind’ -- to discover how to most naturally walk the

Way of Zen. If you are seeking the unmistaken path – he’s your wide and generous

ally.

()

Roshi Susan Murphy.

Note that this term of practice will culminate with an opportunity for telephone dokusan with Susan Roshi & Kynan Roshi at the usual time of  4pm to 5:30pm. this offer is extended to all subscribed members of the gathering, for the Spring term.

This will be on November 24th.