PZI Teacher Archives

Huineng's No North & South (GG23)

KOAN:

The fifth ancestor asked, “Where did you come from?”
“From south of the mountain,” said Huineng.
“What did you come for?” asked the ancestor.
“To become Buddha,” said Huineng.
“You cannot become Buddha because the people south of the mountain have no Buddha nature.”
Hunineng said, “Though there is south and north for people, how can there be a south and north for Buddha nature?”

—from the commentary on Gateless Gate Case 23 (Huineng’s Original Face)

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Dharma Theme November 4, 2021

Dharma Theme: Zen Luminaries, A Series of Conversations with Jon Joseph Roshi

Jon Joseph

Modern Zen Luminaries: A series of Zen Buddhist scholars, writers, poets, translators, and practitioners join PZI’s Jon Joseph Roshi for lively discussions online, with a focus on our Chan lineage. Includes all recordings beginning with the series’ launch in September 2021.

811 Words
Audio November 4, 2021

Zen Luminaries: A Conversation with Peter Hershock hosted by Jon Joseph

Jon Joseph

As recorded Monday, November 1st, 2021, as part of a series of conversations with important Zen (Chan) voices: translators, writers, scholars, and practitioners.

78' 6"
Text February 11, 2021

A True Person of No Rank, No Color, No Gender: Seeing Through All Distinctions

John Tarrant

I was thinking about history and beauty and what an old old thing human suffering is, and how intrinsic it is. And we keep making things better and then they keep getting worse, and we’re making them better and they get worse. I guess I just wanted to say that it’s really good to have a practice at any time. Meditate—it will help. You will come from a position of peace rather than just fighting yourself. Being yourself, the true person, no rank. Transcript of PZI Zen Online Sunday Dharma Talk with John Tarrant Roshi, recorded June 7, 2020.

6372 Words