PZI Events Calendar
W E L C O M E to the PZI Events Calendar! Here you will find all upcoming events and registration links for PZI Zen Online retreats, sesshins, and weekly meditations & talks. Search by individual event, day, or month. Save to your Google Calendar or iCal Calendar. No experience required to participate. All event times are Pacific Time. Questions? Contact Lucas at PZI Support.
F E A T U R E D
May 7–10: Say A True Word & I Will Stay The Night – Open Mind Retreat with John Tarrant, Tess Beasley, & Allison Atwill
May 17: Sunday Zen with John Tarrant, Allison Atwill & Tess Beasley
June 8–14: Dragons & Tigers, Oh My! – Our Great Summer Sesshin with John Tarrant & PZI Teachers
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TUESDAY ZEN with David Weinstein: Is Mount Sumeru a Problem or Not?
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A student asked Yunmen, “When not one thought arises, is there a problem or not?”
Yunmen said, “Mount Sumeru.”
—Book of Serenity Case 19
The first thing that came along was another koan involving Yunmen:
Once Master Yunmen asked, “What’s wrong with someone who is in the dark about himself?”
He answered on behalf of the silent monks, “That ought not to be a problem for a great person!”
Hearing Yunmen reply “Mount Sumeru” to the student’s question, and knowing that Mount Sumeru is a “wonderfully tall” mountain at the center of the universe, one might suppose that Yunmen is saying that not having one thought arise is an obstacle as large as Mount Sumeru. Or one might think that it is an achievement as great as Mount Sumeru.
Shortly after that koan about being in the dark about oneself, another koan with Yunmen came along in which a friend who had been teaching asks his friends how he did. Yunmen’s response was “Barrier!” Is that good? Is that not good? What is Yunmen saying? Is he saying that if you have to ask the question about your teaching then you have the answer?
Finally, for no apparent reason, a koan that used to be part of the miscellaneous collection in Kamakura paid me a visit.
Which is taller, Mount Fuji or Mount Everest? Only a fool would say Mount Everest, how do you respond?
See you on Tuesday.
—David Weinstein
COME JOIN US on Tuesdays for koan meditation, dharma talk and conversation.
Register to participate. All are welcome.
David Weinstein Roshi, Director of Rockridge Meditation Community
