Shaman Tiger Zen Roshi : It Was a Good Day

It was a good day to strike the center of the empty sky.
Nothing left of mind, all feelings exhausted.
Lacking thought like a simpleton, stretched out on the ground --
Getting up now & then just to drink cold water from a bamboo dipper.

SHIBUMI TEA ROOM

I've recently begun equipping a small tea room in the old style. Here, I plan to conduct the simplest and most ancient form of the Zen tea ceremony.

"Cool in summer, warm in winter; flowers from the field; prepare for rain; enjoy a sip of tea together." (利休) The tea ceremony cleanses the senses and refreshes the mind.

Yet I still need a traditional sign-board, gold lettered kanji on black lacquered wood, as well as an antique iron kettle and some traditional Japanese tea implements.

This will be good place to sit and drink tea and listen to rain clattering on the roof. "One meeting, full of friendship . . . After all there is no difficulty in tea, only enjoyment." (Master Kaji Aso) The same as life itself. For "the taste of tea is the bitter, refreshing taste of Zen." (Master Eisai)

⼭家富貴銀千樹⿂夫⾵流⽟⼀蓑 TO DONATE A FEW DOLLARS MORE

"At the Gateless Barrier"

At the Gateless Barrier, I play the old tunes on my bamboo flute./It's cold at night and everybody weeps to hear the ancient songs./Yet Zen is without sentiment.

I live in the majestic Pacific Northwest. I write. I play the Zen bamboo flute.

"Great Nature, Great Manifestation, Great Realization." What does this mean? Every aspect of this life, which is Zen Enlightenment itself, is "great." Whether wonderful or terrifying or both it always "is" in a way that cannot be explained. Just try to explain it. Can you, or can't you?

It's just like when Master Ko Bong shouted "That's it! Ha, ha, ha, ha!" and broke his fan. Do you get it, or not? If you can tell me what you get, I'll bow to you. If you can't, I'll call you my Master. Either way, you win.

For more notes, poems and aphorisms: go here. See also 老虎: Lao Hu. Contact me at jyakunen(at)gmail.com.

SHAMAN TIGER ZEN TEMPLE

Stick your head into the Old Tiger's mouth to ask the question: What is my true self (Honshin)?

神通並妙用

Shaman Tiger Zen Temple, in the majestic Pacific Northwest rainforest, revives the profound direct realization and training methods of ancient Zen.

"A Yes, a No, a Straight Line -- a Goal." -Nietzsche

Why is it called Shaman Tiger Zen Temple? Because it is a small Zen temple founded by a man given the Daoist-sounding Dharma name Lao Hu, which means "Old Tiger," "Venerable Tiger," or -- if you like -- "Shamanic Tiger."

Joshu's Mu

To call Buddha "Awareness" or anything else is to make Buddha an object of thought.

Show me the location of this Buddha! What kind of shoes does he wear? If he goes barefoot, do his feet get dirty? Does he shiver in the winter?

Who is it that's actually reading this right now?

Is it your mind? Amazing! Where exactly is this Mind located in physical space?

Also, is this by any chance the same mind that was here before your parents got born? Ah!

In Zen there is always an instant when the "mind" stops and you break out in a cold, shivering sweat at the sheer vividness of This!

Joshu's "Mu" is really just the "natural freedom of the myriad Buddhas" and is in itself clear about everything. There is no point in trying to make anything special out of it.

This afternoon clumps of snow are falling from the tops of the tall Douglas firs. Crows are taunting each other wickedly. A big cloud just covered the sun. Ah!

Look for my upcoming Zen and Ki-training "self-help" manual The Book of Zen & Haragei.

Shaman Tiger Zen Roshi

It Was a Good Day

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