MISSION

The Vermont Zen Center’s mission is to create a peace-ful and inviting environ-ment to support those who seek wisdom, compassion, joy, and equanimity within a Buddhist context. The two-fold practice of the Center is to overcome the causes of suffering through spiritual development and to alleviate the world’s suffering through outreach activities and the cultivation of a caring atti-tude to the earth.

VOLUME 30, ISSUE 2MaRCH -aPRIL 2018

March-April 2018 Walking Mountains

Walking Mountains“The green mountains are always walking” — Daokai

— Joan White

(Continued on page 2)

Dear Sangha and Friends, The month of March provides nothing more than the evidence of our Sangha’s strength and commitment at the Vermont Zen Center: Sangha Entertainment Day brings us together to celebrate Sangha; the Lovingkindness course with Dharman Rice gives the community-at-large a means to impact dark times; Manju Selinger’s Indian cooking course brings folks together to celebrate food and diversity. Together with our ongoing morning, evening, and Sunday sittings, they all fulfill the Buddha’s wish: “Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves. Rely on yourselves, and do not rely on external help. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Seek salvation alone in the truth. Look not for assistance to anyone besides yourselves…” We carry on.

In april, spring brings yet more, and more light as we prepare and celebrate the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout Temple Night, leading up to the renewal of our vows and entering the Buddha’s family once more at the Jukai Ceremony. as gardening season presents itself, we look forward to work, and more work, to attain the Great Way of Buddha. Please join us.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Sesshin Pilgrims

A bout three times a year our little Zen pilgrimage wends

its way to the Vermont Zen Center. Steve, the administrative Bodhisattva at the Toronto Zen Centre, masterminds the logistics. First Steve canvasses the

Sesshin Pilgrims 1

Mara 3

Indian Cooking Course 4

Tai Chi Course 4

Lovingkindness 4

Calendar 5

Temple Nights 6

Spring Jukai 6

Entertainment Day 7

Workdays 8 by Fran Turner

members from Toronto who will be attending the Vermont sesshin with Roshi Henderson. He coordinates drivers, alternate drivers, and riders, and he insures that there’s space for

2 Walking Mountains March-April 2018

their luggage. He also takes into account which day each group will travel to and from Vermont based on their schedules. and there are still other factors to consider as well. It’s complicated and Steve does a great job. He always adds a list of reminders of what to bring—passports being a major item on the list. Steve also provides a thorough guide to the various routes to take to Shelburne.

The long drives, seven or eight hours, provide our band of pilgrims with an opportunity to get to know one another in a way that we may not have a chance to otherwise. We might talk about the challenges of the Term Student Program, how it was a gift to our practice. We open up about how we rushed or stumbled onto the Buddha’s path; the impact practice has had on our lives; how our teachers scare us with their unfathomably deep and earnest commitment; how we doubt ourselves or, incrementally, have been building faith in ourselves, or both. Some of us wonder out loud how we will cope for seven days without coffee. and we laugh a lot. Sometimes we chant, especially if road conditions are complicated by bad weather. Usually, one person mentions he or she doesn’t feel ready for sesshin and that opens the door to encouragement and support.

as we draw closer, we talk about our sister Sangha in Vermont: the gift of practicing with our Dharma siblings from the Triple Sangha.

(Continued from page 1)

Some have undertaken to travel from Costa Rica or Germany, a decidedly longer journey. We will be blessed with sitting alongside friends, mature practitioners, who have traveled the Buddha path for decades. always we are grateful for all the work done by our Vermont kin setting up the Center for sesshin, especially at this time when there are no sesshins in Toronto because of the renovations.

The new toll highway south of Montreal has cut off about an hour from the regular journey. Now we can avoid the horrendous traffic and complicated roadways of Montreal. as we approach the border and organize our passports, we feel some tension. The Homeland Security officer eyes each person in the vehicle and asks, “Where do you live?” Sometimes, “What work do you do?” “What is the purpose of your visit?” We breathe a sigh of relief when we get the okay to proceed.

arriving at the Center, we are swept into the pre-sesshin bustle and lots of warm hugs. We settle in, get our job assignments, iron our robes and orient ourselves to the next seven days of working on ourselves.

Once sesshin finishes, some Toronto folk need to get home right away because of family or to prepare for the work week ahead. We feel bad that we can’t help with the cleanup and reorganization required to bring

the Center back to “normal.” Saturday night traffic is light, a saving grace.

For those of us who are able to stay, there is the nurturing of friendships—the chats, helping with laundry, cleaning the kitchen. and quiet, strong sitting in the zendo on Sunday morning. Some lucky Torontonians are beneficiaries of scrumptious and lovingly prepared Tico breakfasts and delicious coffee delivered by Marcela and Kevin. These fortify the pilgrims for the return trip.

Bad weather seems more likely to happen traveling home. There are stories of severe snowstorms that forced members to get off the road and book into a hotel overnight. Once, after an august sesshin, we had to drive cautiously through a heavy downpour. But then, a huge rainbow stretched across the eastern sky behind us: an embrace like the loving and protective arms of Kannon.

The long drives, seven or eight hours, provide

our band of pilgrims with an opportunity to get to know one

another in a way that we may not have a

chance to otherwise.

—

M uch of what we experience in our Zen practice

can rightly be characterized as inscrutable. The words of the masters can be inspiring and they can appear opaque. Roshi Kapleau, as a beginning student, bemoaned “… Zen’s paradoxes which need the personal experience of enlightenment to be understood.” But there is one Buddhist teaching, going back to the Buddha himself, that can be perfectly understood right at the beginning of practice. Mara, the demon we ourselves create, is visible to us all. This is the inner voice, which seeks the comfort of the known and fears our efforts to experience that which is greater than our small selves. Most of us encountered Mara the very first time we crossed our legs. and we can see from the Buddha’s own life that Mara lives on even after a profound awakening.

Who among us has not been bedeviled by thought patterns during zazen that seek to justify quitting? Discomfort, painful recollections and a gnawing belief in our own inadequacies can ball up and deliver a hammer blow that knocks us off course. and while we are listening to these horror tales from Mara, our practice is ten thousand miles away. In that sense, Mara is no different a distraction than composing a shopping list. The difference is Mara’s power, which

In the end, it comes down to skillful means. The Buddha on the eve of his great enlightenment could touch the ground to demonstrate his lifetimes of self-work and so dismiss Mara’s siren song of quitting. For ourselves the key is simply recognizing Mara for the thief he or she is. We create Mara. We can destroy Mara. Simple as that. Of course, the fine print is that we must do this over and over again. and beware, Mara will return in new clothes. This is zazen after all. What else should we expect?

Perhaps the strongest tool we have in resisting Mara is Sangha, our sisters and brothers who are sitting beside us in the zendo and down through the ages. Facing the same types of issues, they summon the inner strength to persevere. all this and coming out of it with a smiling face and a giving heart. How could we not make the same effort? and with whatever works for us—smacking Mara in the kisser, laughing at Mara’s pitiful antics, or simply ignoring the mirage—we persevere too. Mara, the great equalizer. The emperor without clothes.

March-April 2018 Walking Mountains 3

Maraby Josh Kelman

finds our weakest spot and bores in. We indulge Mara and walk down Mara’s painful road even as the clock ticks away on our mat.

at one time I thought that inadequacy was part of our western psyche, perhaps stronger in myself than in others, but a barrier not faced by our steely-willed Japanese and Chinese ancestors. as for those in the Buddha’s time, stories of their instant understanding of the Dharma meant that they could not be the same people as you and me. The truth is that cultural differences are only labels for the work we all must do. Mara has a multitude of faces and one is designed just for us. If Mara tried tempting even the Buddha to quit, it’s not likely that anyone else would be immune. Wily Mara stands astride the very same path taken by ourselves and by Shakyamuni Buddha.

With some poetic license, we can find Mara in the biblical Book of Job. Recall the story in which God and the devil are betting whether Job can maintain faith in a withering storm of painful experiences. It is no different for us when Mara is raining down the worst. We must maintain our faith breath by breath.

In the end, it comes down to skillful means.

—

4 Walking Mountains March-April 2018

Learn how to prepare a delicious and authentic weekend vegetarian Indian meal in the Vermont Zen Center’s spacious kitchen under the careful guidance of Manju Selinger. Manju’s courses are very popular and fill up quickly as they are limited to eight people. So, if you’re interested, sign up soon!

Date: Saturday, March 10Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Fee: $85 ($75 member discount)

Weekend Meal Indian Cooking Course

Tai Chi offers many benefits for health, relaxation, and concentration. A Tai Chi practitioner is mindful during each posture and movement, allowing the chi energy to flow throughout the body. There are numerous medical studies demonstrating the physical and mental benefits of Tai Chi, including for many people with arthritic and neurological conditions.

The course is conducted by Dr. Eric Berger, a long-time member of the Center and authorized teacher of Tai Chi. Eric offers several six-week courses for beginners and more advanced practitioners in Tai Chi. The next courses begin on March 5. Each hour-long Monday evening session includes instruction, practice periods, and Q&a.

Time: Mondays 6:30-7:30 p.m. for those who have taken a minimum of five prior courses with Eric. 7:30-8:30 for all others.

Dates: March 5, 12, 19, 26, april 9, 23Location: Vermont Zen CenterFee: $100 for the six classes

Tai Chi Course

Lovingkindness, or Metta bhavana, is an ancient Buddhist meditation leading to the development of unconditional love and friendliness. Through the practice of metta, we become more empathetic, considerate, kind, forgiving, and in general, happier people.

Dharman Rice, a Zen Buddhist priest, offers a six-week course in Lovingkindness Meditation at the Vermont Zen Center, beginning

More information and registration is available on the Zen Center’s website at www.vermontzen.org/indian_cooking_weekend.html.

February 28. Each hour-long Wednesday evening session includes meditation instruction, practice periods, and discussion. Please note that the first class is a half hour longer than the other classes. Class size is limited. Skype or Zoom participation is possible for those who do not live in Vermont.

Time: Wednesdays 7-8 p.m. The first class is 7– 8:30) Dates: February 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28, april 4Location: Vermont Zen CenterContribution: $100 for the six classes

More information and registration is available on the Zen Center’s website at www.vermontzen.org/lovingkindness.html

Lovingkindness Course

More information and registration is available on the Zen Center’s website at www.vermontzen.org/taichi.html

March-April 2018 Walking Mountains 5

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

March 2018

Sangha Entertainment

PM ZAZEN PM ZAZEN

Metta Course 3

Chanting

PM ZAZEN PM ZAZEN

Metta Course 4

Workshop PM ZAZEN

PM ZAZEN

Sesshin Deadline

Temple Night Workday

Metta Course 2

Teisho

PM ZAZEN

Sitting and Temple Night

Prep

Taped Teisho

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

Roshi on Break

Roshi on Break

Roshi on Break

Metta Course 5

Tai Chi Course 2

Tai Chi Course 4

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

Tai Chi Course 1

Weekend Indian Cooking Course

Taped Teisho

PM ZAZEN

Roshi on Break Tai Chi Course 3

Workshop Prep

Finding Your Seat Meeting

Chanting

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

April 2018

Ceremony Workday

JUKAI

PM ZAZEN PM ZAZEN

Chanting

Sesshin Set up

PM ZAZEN

Metta Course 6

Taped Teisho

Sesshin Set up

Sesshin

Vermont 7-Day Sesshin 4/14-21 ZEN CENTER CLOSED DURING SESSHIN

Zen Center Closed

Costa Rica 5-Day Training Program

CR

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

AM ZAZEN TUE-FRI

Tai Chi Course 5

Tai Chi Course 6

ROSHI IN CR

Temple Night Workday

Temple Night

Temple Night

Zen Center Closed

Finding Your Seat Meeting

AM ZAZEN MON-FRI

6 Walking Mountains March-April 2018

O n Sunday, April 8, we commemorate the

Buddha’s “real” birthday with a Jukai Ceremony at 10 a.m. Prior to the ceremony, starting at 9 a.m. there is a one hour sitting. Dokusan will not be offered that day.

Our Center has two Jukai ceremonies each year, one in April and one in November. It is customary to take Jukai as often as possible. Each time you participate, your resolve to practice and realize the Buddhadharma grows stronger.

During the ceremony, participants take part in a repentance ceremony, then take the Three Refuges, the Three General Resolutions, and the Ten Cardinal Precepts.

Jukai also entails making an anonymous monetary donation to the teacher, called an incense offering. This traditional gift represents the practitioner’s desire to support the teacher’s work in propagating Buddhism.

Jukai is one of the most solemn rituals we observe at the Center, so

please be sure to wear a clean and pressed robe if you have one. If not, wear dark, solid-colored clothing or borrow a robe from the Center. Children of all ages are especially welcome to come to spring Jukai, which honors the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Entering the Buddha’s FamilySpring Jukai Ceremony

—

T uesday, April 3 and Thursday, April 5 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. are Temple Nights at the Center. This takes the place of

regular sittings, and there is no dokusan on those evenings.

At Temple Night people of all ages come to sit informally, offer incense, chant, and do prostrations before Buddha and Bodhisattva figures set up on special altars. Participants often walk around the Buddha Hall looking at the many different figures. The sitting, though informal, is focused and deep.

Anyone who has been to a Temple Night can attest to the strength of concentration that builds up through the night. The sari-covered altars are beautifully decorated. Seated upon them, the figures not only remind us who we really are, they also help us express gratitude to and reverence for those who have transmitted the Dharma.

Temple Nights

March-April 2018 Walking Mountains 7

Sangha Entertainment

T ime to dust off your

instruments, bring out the

games, loosen the vocal chords,

brush up on your Tango—it’s

Sangha Entertainment Day on

SUNDAY, MARCH 4, and all acts

are welcome. Bring your family

and friends for a morning of

music, fun, games, and vegetarian

pot luck fare. Kelly Story is the

coordinator for this event; please

give her a call if you want to

perform. If you’d just like to

sit in the audience, that’s fine too! Informal sitting

beforehand (no dokusan that day). The entertainment

begins at 10 a.m. Hope to see you there!

AubadeAt the horizon a gate opens

& the day slips through

Not a moment between the coming & the going

for the bell’s ring.

— Joan White

8 Walking Mountains March-April 2018

Vermont Zen CenterPost Office Box 880Shelburne, VT 05482

802-985-9746www.vermontzen.org

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDShelburne, VTPermit No. 60

CoNTrIBuTorS:

• Maria Delia Crosby, layout • Roshi Sunyana Graef• Josh Kelman• Greg Sheldon, proofreading• Kelly Story, production• Fran Turner• Joan White, editor

Workdays for Temple Night and Spring Jukai

Spring has come

In all simplicity:

A light yellow sky.

—IssaSaturday, March 31 (from 10 a.m. – noon) and Sunday, April 1 (from 9-noon) are workdays to set up for Temple Night. We will also have a work night on Thursday, March 29 during the evening sitting to begin setting up altars. Please lend a hand if you can to turn our Center into a beautiful temple for devotions on Temple Nights.

On Saturday, April 1, we will be taking down Temple Night and setting up for Jukai which is on Sunday.

Saturday workdays begin at 10 a.m., though if you’d like to arrive earlier that’s fine too. Members often start working at 9. Lunch will be provided on all weekend workdays.