The Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho Issue4 Fall2008 The Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho...

transcript

Volume 2 • Issue 4 Fall 2008

TThhee SSaayyiinnggss ooff ZZeenn MMaasstteerr KKyyoonngg HHoo

“Seventy-five years ago, whenSeung Sahn Soen-saʼs great-grandteacher, Zen Master KyongHo, was a young man, KoreanBuddhism was very weak. Then,Kyong Ho attained enlightenmentand became the teacher of manygreat Zen monks. He is nowknown as the Patriarch of KoreanZen.” –from Dropping Ashes onthe Buddha

Here are eleven sayings of ZenMaster Kyong Ho:

1. Donʼt wish for perfect health. Inperfect health, there is greedand wanting. So an ancientsaid, “Make good medicinefrom the suffering of sickness.”

2. Donʼt hope for a life without

problems. An easy liferesults in a judgmental andlazy mind. So an ancientonce said, “Accept the anxi-eties and difficulties of thislife.”

3. Donʼt expect your prac-tice to be always clear ofobstacles. Without hin-drances, the mind thatseeks enlightenment maybe burnt out. So anancient once said, “Attaindeliverance in distur-bances.”

4. Donʼt expect to practicehard and not experiencethe weird. Hard practicethat evades the unknown

makes for a weak commitment.So an ancient once said, “Helphard practice by befriendingevery demon.”

5. Donʼt expect to finish doingsomething easily. If you hap-pen to acquire something easi-ly, the will is made weaker. Soan ancient once said, “Tryagain and again to completewhat you are doing.”

6. Make friends but donʼt expectany benefit for yourself.Friendship only for oneselfharms trust. So an ancientonce said, “Have an enduringfriendship with purity in heart.”ʻ

7. Donʼt expect others to follow

your direction. When it hap-pens that others go along withyou, it results in pride. So anancient once said, “Use yourwill to bring peace betweenpeople.”

8. Expect no reward for an act ofcharity. Expecting something inreturn leads to a schemingmind. So an ancient once said,“Throw false spirituality awaylike a pair of old shoes.”

9. Donʼt seek profit over andabove what your work is worth.Acquiring false profit makes afool (of oneself). So an ancientonce said, “Be rich in honesty.”

10. Donʼt try to make clarity ofmind with severe practice.Every mind comes to hateseverity, and where is clarity inmortification? So an ancientonce said, “Clear a passage-way through severe practice.”

11. Be equal to every hindrance.Buddha attained SupremeEnlightenment without hin-drance. Seekers after truth areschooled in adversity. Whenthey are confronted by a hin-drance, they canʼt be over-come. Then, cutting free, theirtreasure is great.

These eleven sayings are fromTHOUSAND PEAKS: Korean Zen— Tradition and Teachers by MuSoeng (Primary Point Press).

SANGHA NEWS & NOTICESOn October 25, we will host ourthird annual Dharma Zen Center(DZC) Art Auction organized byBoard Member and DharmaTeacher David McDonald. The lasttwo were tremendous successesand raised enough funds to makemuch-needed improvements suchas installing a new kitchen floor.We sincerely hope youʼll join us atDZC as Steve Roden will performand approximately 30 pieces of artfrom artists around the country willbe put up in a silent auction. If youare interested in helping, pleasecall (323) 934-0330 or email us atdharmazencenter@gmail.com.

DZC held a precepts ceremony onSeptember 13. David McDonaldand Nattan Hollander becameDharma Teachers and they lookfantastic in their new long robes!

In addition, Steve Valerio andPatrick Park became DharmaTeachers in Training. Congratula-tions to David, Nattan, Steve, andPatrick!

Bridget Duff is leading a classabout Zen on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.Each week, we read a sectionfrom a book by Zen Master SeungSahn, then Bridget speaks aboutthe passage and students have anopportunity to ask questions andshare. We encourage you to comeand join us.

The garden in front of DZC has anew look! Director and House-master Steve Valerio placed abeautiful sand and rock gardenwhere the fishpond used to be andhelped to install a beautiful foun-tain which can be seen and heard

from the Dharma Room.

Sunday morning services continueto be fruitful and new faces contin-ue to appear. If you havenʼt beento DZC in a while, Sunday morn-ings are a wonderful time to comeand practice with us.

Happy Birthday to DZC residentRon Allen! He celebrated by per-forming poetry with his band CodeZero, and several Sangha mem-bers were on hand to see his spir-ited performance.

Congratulations to Nattan and ErinHollander, who were married onAugust 3 in Malibu. Nattan andErin met while living in DZC, and itwas with great joy that we sawthem get married and celebratetheir life together!

OOCCTTOOBBEERRSUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

15 am – MorningPractice6:30 pm – EveningPractice/Long Sitting

25 am – MorningPractice6:30 pm – EveningPractice

35 am – MorningPractice

510 am – SundayPractice & Circle Talk6:30 pm – EveningPractice

75 am – MorningPractice7 pm – MeditationInstruction

85 am – MorningPractice6:30 pm – Long Sitting/Kong-an Interviews

11YMJJ with DarekGorzweski, JDPSN

12YMJJ with DarekGorzweski, JDPSN

1910 am – SundayPractice/Dharma Talk6:30 pm – EveningPractice

NNOOVVEEMMBBEERR

DDEECCEEMMBBEERR

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

710 am – Buddha’sEnlightenment Day 6:30 pm – EveningPractice

1025 S. Cloverdale AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90019(323) 934-0330 • info@dharmazen.com

THANK YOU . . .Thank you to Steve Valerio for all of his effort in

the garden and his continued hard work as Directorand Housemaster.

Thank you to Board Member and DharmaTeacher David McDonald for all his hard work onorganizing our upcoming Art Auction.

Thank you to Senior Dharma Teacher BridgetDuff for leading our new Zen class on Tuesdays.

Thank you to Edith Thomas for all her efforts incaring for Mu Sang Sunim.

And thank you to Sonya Shelton for her work asVice Abbot and Paul Park, JDPSN, for his guidance.

Dharma Zen Center is only able to exist becauseof people like this.

UPCOMING EVENTS• On October 25, we will host our Third AnnualDharma Zen Center Art Auction. If you wouldlike to volunteer to help, please email DZC.

• On the first Sunday of every month, we go to theMidnight Mission in downtown Los Angeles to helpserve food to the homeless. We leave fromDharma Zen Center at 3:30 p.m. If you have anyquestions about our Outreach Program, pleasecall Ron “Bodhidharma” Allen at (323) 936-9169.

• On Sunday, December 7, at 10 a.m., we will cele-brate Buddha’s Enlightenment Day. Please join usfor the celebration ceremony.

• Every Tuesday at 7 p.m., Senior Dharma TeacherBridget Duff leads a Zen study group. All are wel-come. We also have a Meditation Instruction classon Tuesdays at 7 p.m. If you would like to attend,please call (323) 934-0330 to reserve your spaceat least 24 hours in advance.

WELCOME . . .We have two new residents! Welcome Jin Kim andJessica Enman. Dharma Zen Center (DZC) is almostfull, but we do have a room available. If you are inter-ested in living at DZC, please call or email DZC.

The Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho Issue4 Fall2008 The Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho...

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