PZI Teacher Archives

Dragon Singing in a Withered Tree

KOAN:

Xiangyan was once asked by a monastic, “What is the Way?”
Xiangyan said, “A dragon singing in a withered tree.”

Later, another monastic asked Shishuang, “What is the ‘dragon singing in a withered tree?'”
Shishuang said, “It still has joy.”

The monastic also asked Caoshan, “What is the ‘dragon singing in a withered tree?’”
Caoshan said, “The blood line is not cut off.”
The monastic asked, “Who can hear this?”
Caoshan said, “In the whole world, there is no one who does not hear it.

The monk asked, “What book is ‘dragon murmurings’ taken from?”
Caoshan said, “I don’t know what book it’s from, but all who hear it die.

—from Xuedou’s verse commentary on Blue Cliff Record Case 2

Audio July 15, 2021

Opening Eve of Summer Sesshin

John Tarrant, Jon Joseph, Tess Beasley

John Tarrant and Tess Beasley welcome everyone to Summer Sesshin. Participants add their voices, forming the vessel of sesshin. Music from Jordan McConnell, Cantor Amaryllis Fletcher, and closing words from Jon Joseph.

78' 34"
Audio October 12, 2020

Fall Sesshin 2020: When You Stop Chasing About

John Tarrant

Evening dharma talk with John Tarrant in Fall Sesshin: If you are chasing about, when will you meet today? We forget we are free in every moment. When we let everything come to rest, we hear the dragon murmurings. Recorded October 2, 2020.

36' 45"