The Practice of Zen

Zen can offer something very simple, very direct and readily accessible to anyone seeking inner peace, seeking healing in some form, or seeking answers to questions such as ‘Who am I?’ ‘How can I find meaning in my life?’ ‘How can I live in a most authentic way?’

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The Fundamentals and Fruits of Zen Practice

Helen Cortes narrates The Fundamentals of Zen Practice:

Ruben Habito describes the Fruits of Zen Practice:

Articles by the Teacher, community »

Tribute to Great Dragon, Robert Aitken Roshi, 1917-2010, Maria Kannon Zen Center

Please click the audio link to listen to the tribute to Robert Aitken Roshi, presented by Ruben Habito and the members of the MKZC.

The Fundamentals and Fruits of Zen Practice

Helen Cortes narrates The Fundamentals of Zen Practice:

Ruben Habito describes the Fruits of Zen Practice:

Commemorating Robert Aitken Roshi Commemorating Robert Aitken Roshi

Dear Friends,
As some of you may already know, Robert Aitken Roshi,  widely known and respected Zen Master and founder of the Diamond Sangha lineage, and revered elder dharma brother to me, died recently at the …

New Year’s Greetings, 2010 New Year’s Greetings, 2010

Dear Members and Friends of the Maria Kannon Zen Community,
As we celebrate the beginning of a new year, I would like to invite each of you to join me in renewing our resolve to affirm …

Dialogue With Eastern Religions Dialogue With Eastern Religions

Since we are social beings we ourselves are in communion: ontologically, relationship, fellowship, with others. There is actually no living person apart from others. So we discover ourselves, realize ourselves only in the meeting with others; the deeper the meeting, the more we find ourselves and blossom into persons. From a Christian perspective we are even more so created to be in communion, reflecting as we do the very “being-one-together” of the divine Persons in the Trinity, that ultimate secret of God’s life, as shared with us by Jesus.

Morning Treasures Morning Treasures

Here’s Hakuin again: “Nirvana is openly shown to our eyes. This earth where we stand is the pure lotus land! And this very body, the body of Buddha.” And this, this very practice, is where I come to meet myself-in the morning.

Reflections on Kennedy Retreat Reflections on Kennedy Retreat

Attention is key. Here, for me, is an important synthesis. To what am I paying attention? To what cannot be named or imagined or understood, to “no thing”. I remember that Jesus said the wheat must fall into the ground and die or it cannot give life. That seems the same as saying there is no self. It makes perfect sense even while it makes no sense. It is a hard saying, but I believe it is good to bear it