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
April 26: What Is This Light That Everybody Has? – Deep Sit Sunday Zen with John Tarrant & Tess Beasley
May 7–10: Say A True Word & I Will Stay The Night – Open Mind Retreat with John Tarrant, Tess Beasley, & Allison Atwill
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: Not Knowing Is Most Intimate
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Dizang asked Fayan, “Where are you going from here?”
Fayan said, “I’m on pilgrimage.”
“What sort of thing is pilgrimage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Not knowing is most intimate.”
Fayan suddenly had a great awakening.
This meeting between Dizang and Fayan occurred while Fayan was on pilgrimage with some of his fellow monks. They were forced to take shelter at Dizang’s monastery due to a sudden snowstorm. When the snow stopped and they were ready to leave, Dizang asked Fayan the question that opens this koan.
Evidently, Fayan’s traveling companions were not as impressed with Dizang’s statement about “not knowing” as Fayan was. They pressed on with their pilgrimage and Fayan chose to stay with Dizang for a while. We are told that Fayan had a great awakening at hearing Dizang’s words and he chose to stay longer, which says something about there being no end to practice, even after great awakening.
During his time with Dizang, when trying to clarify his experience, Fayan would have a conversation with Dizang, and all that Dizang would say, to whatever Fayan brought up, was that “The teachings are not like that.” Finally, Fayan decided to leave Dizang and continue on with his pilgrimage.
On the day of his departure, Dizang accompanied Fayan to the gate of the temple. He said, “I have heard you say many times that everything is in the mind. What about that boulder next to the gate? Is it in the mind also?” Fayan replied, “Yes, it is.” To which Dizang said, “Isn’t it going to be difficult to go on pilgrimage with a boulder in your mind?” At that point, Fayan had another great awakening experience and decided to stay a bit longer with Dizang.
Again, when Fayan would speak ,with Dizang trying to clarify his understanding, Dizang would say, “The teachings are not like that.” Finally, Fayan came to Dizang and said, “I have used up everything, my mind is empty, I have nothing to say.” At which point Dizang said, “It is exactly that empty mind in which mountains and rivers and the boulder next to the temple gate appear.” At which point Fayan had another great awakening experience, taking him deeper into “not knowing being most intimate.”
Last week’s koan with Yunmen comes to mind. “Not a single thought arising” sounds like, “not knowing,” doesn’t it?
It is not easy to not know; we must forget what we know and forget that we have forgotten.
—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
