Join members of the All Beings Zen Sangha in offering our gratitude to Sojun Roshi for his many years of service and teaching.  Hakuryu Sojun Mel Weitsman is the Dharma teacher of our first guiding teacher,  Dairyū Michael Wenger.  Our current guiding teacher Rev. Inryu, Sensei received Dharma transmission for Dairyū.  All of those who receive precepts in our ABZ Sangha have Sojun Roshi as their Great-Grandfather in our Suzuki Roshi Lineage.  Saturday, October 24: Stepping Down Ceremony and Stepping Into Founding Dharma Teacher Ceremony of Hakuryu Sojun Mel Weitsman Roshi, 6:00 pm EST (at the Berkeley Zen Center’s online zendo,

Here is a recording of the ceremony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVKMrXXffRg

It begins with incense offerings outdoors around the Berkeley ZC grounds
and the speaking begins around 25 minutes in. You will see that Sojun
Roshi needed some assistance walking and has lost a lot of weight due to
cancer of the bile duct, which he was diagnosed with at the end of
September, 2019.

Photo by Alveena taken during the discussion after the viewing of “How to cook your life” . We were delighted that the star of the film, Edward Espe Brown zoomed in from California to answer questions and share the Dharma

Photo by Alveena Bakshi

Bodhisattva’s at work.  On Sunday October 4th, 2020 these ABZS members were photographed as they finished planting a native Spice Bush along Adams Mill Road NW (near our urban zendo).

Tonight we will have one period of  Zazen followed by a “Way Seeking Mind” Talk by ABZS Fall Ango Shuso Shōryū Chris Leader.

“JUST ENOUGH”

Friends,

Today, we begin our annual Fall Ango (安居, “peaceful dwelling”).  This 90-day practice period offers us the chance to engage deeply with zazen and our four great vows, moving through the world with compassion and beginner’s mind.  Our theme for this year’s Fall Ango will be “Just Enough.”  I think this is an apt expression of the Buddha’s teaching of the Middle Way–not getting swept away by greed, not giving in to aversion.  Not too much, not too little.  Just enough.  It’s also a good way to think of the attitude we bring to our practice and to everyday life. When we sit, just to sit is enough.  When we work, just to work is enough.  While we live, just to live is enough.

I look forward to exploring this theme with you all, especially in these difficult times.  One important way we can practice “just enough” is through our relationship to food–especially these days, when many of us are spending most of our time and preparing and eating most of our meals at home.  So this year, we will be scheduling Zoom cooking classes to learn how to make some traditional zendo dishes, oryoki demonstrations, and talks on sustainability and limiting food waste.  We will also be reading and hosting dharma study on Shohaku Okumura’s Living By Vow, an excellent book about the meaning of our most common chants–including the meal chant!   We hope these events focused around the kitchen and hearth will help you feel connected to the sangha while we wait for the right time to return to the zendo.

And as we do every year, we will be scheduling Way Seeking Mind talks for sangha members to tell their stories and discuss their practice.  Our Shuso, the head student for the practice period, will be Shōryū Chris Leader.  The Shuso and his Benji (Shuso’s assistant) will be arranging the Way Seeking Mind talks as well as scheduling for Sangha members to enjoy tea with the Shuso.  Please contact the Benji, Alex Langlinais, at alexlanglinais@gmail.com to schedule your WSM talk or for sharing tea with the Shuso.

Our Practice Period Leader, Inryū Sensei will be available for Dokusan (one to one discussions) with individuals throughout the Ango.  Please contact Inryū directly at inryu@allbeingszen.org to make an appointment.  

You are welcomed and encouraged to join us for any and all of the events listed below!  Please stay tuned for email updates to the 2020 Fall Ango schedule, as well as updates to the All Beings Zen Sangha website (www.allbeingszen.org).

FALL ANGO 2020 SCHEDULE

Weekly Schedule

Monday Wednesday, Friday: Morning Zazen at 6:30 AM EST (+ Way-Seeking Mind Talks)

Thursday: Evening Service at 7:00 PM EST

• Tea with the Shuso by appointment on dates TBA

Fall Ango Events

Thursday, September 24: Thursday Evening Service — Fall Ango Begins!

Saturday, September 26: Outdoor Jukai at Woodburn Hill Farm

Thursday, October 1: Shuso Entering Ceremony via Zoom

Saturday, October 10: Half-Day Zazenkai

Sunday, October 18: Full-Day Event at Woodburn Hill Farm

Saturday, November 7: Full-Day Zazenkai

Monday, November 30 – Sunday, December 6: Rohatsu Sesshin

Tuesday, December 8: Rohatsu*

Thursday, December 19: Shuso Hossen

Dates TBD: 

• Cooking Classes 
• Dharma Study, Living By Vow by Shohaku Okumura
• Movie Night 
• Oryoki Presentation(s)
• Talk(s) on No Waste/Conservation by Susan Cho
• Talk(s) on Sitting with Pain, Hospice, Death and Dying
• Talk(s) on Home Altars and Home Liturgy

– By the ABZS Benji Alex Langlinais

Photo by Vero Balderas-Iglesias

September 19th, 2020  – 12noon.  Bring your lunch, or a cup of tea to enjoy while we discuss the Biography of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.  David Chadwick the author of the book will be our All Beings Zen Sangha special guest.  

    Dharma Study Group reading  and discussion the  “Crooked Cucumber”.   Join us in the cloud zendo by using this link.