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: Yantou’s Arising and Disappearing
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Luoshan asked Yantou, “What about when arising and disappearing don’t stop?”
Yantou yelled, “Who arises and disappears?”
—Book of Serenity Case 43
When Yantou and Xuefeng were snowbound in a cabin on Turtle Mountain, Xuefeng spent every waking moment meditating while Yantou dozed. Xuefeng became upset with Yantou because he wasn’t meditating, which led to a conversation about Xuefeng’s practice. In the end Yantou shouted at Xuefeng, “Don’t you know that the family treasure does not come in through the front gate?” This was the spark that set off Yantou’s awakening.
That story paid a visit as I spent time with Yantou’s koan about arising and disappearing. I could feel a resonance between the two. It would be easy to answer Yantou’s question about who arises and disappears by saying, “Me.” That would be the answer coming in through the front gate. Just as Xuefeng’s assumption that meditating every moment he was awake was the answer to awakening.
Then another koan came along: “Who is hearing?”
On the first night of Fall Sesshin at Mount Madonna sat with that koan as the rain came thundering down. Though the roof did not leak many people were drenched. Again, I can feel the resonance with Yantou’s question. It’s the same “who.”
Then there was the question about when arising and disappearing don’t stop. Which brings up the question of when arising and disappearing do stop. What’s that like? Who experiences that?
—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
