PZI Teacher Archives

Baling's Snow in a Silver Bowl (MK74a)(BCR13)

KOAN:

A student asked Baling, “What is Chan?”
“A silver bowl filled with snow.”

—PZI Miscellaneous Koans Case 74a & Blue Cliff Record Case 13 (transl. by John Tarrant & Joan Sutherland)

Note: First of Baling Haojian’s Three Barriers, PZI MK Case 74

Audio February 5, 2021

Musical Interlude – This Very Heart Mind

Michael Wilding

Michael Wilding offers his original musical response in the Meditation and Talk on January 31, 2021. Audio excerpt from the Sunday session, PZI Zen Online. 4 minutes.

4' 20"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: Dreaming the Koan – Snow in a Silver Bowl

David Parks

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light – audio excerpt. David Parks recounts a personal dream encounter with “Snow in a silver bowl.” As recorded on January 16, 2021. 7 minutes.

7' 11"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: The Call of Your Own Life

Allison Atwill

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light – audio excerpt from Allison Atwill’s dharma talk, recorded January 16, 2021.

2' 34"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: This Is Happening

Allison Atwill

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light – audio excerpt from a dharma talk with Allison Atwill. The tale of a harrowing solo voyage around Cape Horn reminds us of our capacity to turn the boat toward the real. As recorded January 16, 2021.

3' 30"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: Who Was at the Helm?

Sarah Bender

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light. Audio excerpt from Allison Atwill’s dharma talk recorded on January 16th, 2021. Sarah Bender comments on a nightmarish moment in the tale of the round-the-world voyage of navigator John Slocum.

2' 0"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: Starting With Nothing

Jon Joseph

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light. Jon Joseph was moved to comment on Allison Atwill’s dharma talk, a both real and metaphorical voyage on the open sea. One sailor had never sailed before and had found a scrapped boat with which to enter this grueling race. Audio excerpt – recorded January 16, 2021.

1' 18"
Audio February 3, 2021

Through Winter Silence: Solo Voyage to Tahiti or Not

Allison Atwill

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light. Allison Atwill takes us on a solo sailing journey—a metaphor for sesshin and our lives. Dharma talk recorded on January 17, 2021.

45' 31"
Audio February 1, 2021

The Traveling Moon and the Cuckoo’s Call

Jon Joseph

Audio Excerpt: PZI Winter Sesshin: Jon Joseph reads poems and reminds us that even deep in jumbled mountains the cuckoo is calling us home. The cuckoo is the voice of the Dao. 2 minutes.

1' 26"
Audio February 1, 2021

Through Winter Silence: Ancient Alchemy’s Recipes for Meditation

Tess Beasley

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light. Audio excerpt. Tess Beasley on the subject of transformation, as recorded on January 15th, 2021. 7 minutes.

6' 9"
Misc December 17, 2017

Snow in a Silver Bowl

Allison Atwill

Allison Atwill, “Snow in a Silver Bowl,” 2009. Acrylic on paper with silver leaf, 16″ x 20″.