Ancestors

John’s Monthly talk at SRCZC November – The time of year for ghosts, memories. We’ve just come through another disastrous fire season. Our ancestors survived fires , plagues, famines great crossings. John reads the teaching on the great zen temple fire of 1374 in which hundreds of thousands of precious texts were incinerated – and yet the temple master told them all had survived – this principle of teachings that nourish us beyond scripture is the core of Zen.

John’s SRCZC talk on impermanence and rawness of feeling after the great fires in CA and Queensland. He reflects on the importance of internalizing the teachings and the nourishment of our ancestors within us- outside of our normal paths. Teachings after the great Engakuji fire in Chan koan history. The practice of talking to the ancestors – human or otherwise a source of great knowledge.