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: Nanyang’s Water Jug
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A student asked National Teacher Zhong of Nanyang,
“What is the original body of Vairochana Buddha like?”
The National Teacher said, “Pass me that water jug.”
The student picked up the water jug and brought it to him.
The National Teacher said, “Put it back where it was.”
The student asked again, “But what is the original body of Vairochana Buddha like?”
“That old Buddha is long gone,” said the National teacher.
Another koan involving a water jug comes to mind. Case forty of the Gateless Barrier involves Baizhang, who set up a test to see who the abbot of a new temple would be. Guishan and the Head Monk were the finalists. Baizhang placed a water jug on the ground and asked each of them to say what it was without calling it a water jug. The Head Monk said, “You cannot call it a wooden shoe.” Guishan kickedthe jug over and left and he was given the abbotship.
Here the National Teacher is like Guishan, he demonstrates what the original body of Vairochana is like the way Guishan demonstrated what a water jug is. In a way that has nothing to do with the water jug, the National Teacher could have asked the student to pass him a book, as Yamada Roshi asked me. Gormlessly, I turned towards the bookshelf behind me and reached for the book he asked for. Before my hand reached the book, I bumped into Vairochana Buddha and broke out laughing, as did Yamada.
Bumped into Vairochana lately?
—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
