Rev. Inryu officiating for an Arlington Va wedding in September 2015

Our resident priest Rev. Inryu officiated for a recent outdoor wedding in Arlington VA.  We set up a simple Altar on a small table.Unknown

As part of the ceremony those in attendance were asked to close their eyes and take a moment to bring full attention to the current moment.  Feeling their bodies, the air around them, the sounds in the environment and to observe their breathing. We then shared a moment of silence to settle into the beauty the moment and place.Roxanne & Jamal A-398

 

The couple vowed to take refuge in Awakening, Truth and Community.

The vowed to support and cherish life, to live generously with an open heart, to remain faithful in relationship, to communicate honestly and simply, to treat all beings and each other with dignity and respect, to work for the benefit of others, to be humble, to not hand on to grudges or angered and to awaken to their connection to all life.Roxanne & Jamal A-430Rev. Inryu has been the official celebrant for weddings in Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and Washington DC.  She is a registered officiant with the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

The photos above are from Phyllis Petronello Photography

May All Beings Be Happy!

The All Beings Zen Sangha welcomes and affirms all who come here to seek the Way, and who will work toward respectful acceptance of others across our many differences, harmonizing the one and the many.

Donate By Paypal

Using the button or QR code below, you can make a one-time donation or set up a recurring monthly donation.

Donate By Venmo

We now accept donations through Venmo. Get the app and search for “All Beings Zen Sangha.”

Get Venmo for iPhone

Get Venmo for Android

Donate By Check

Checks can be mailed to:

All Beings Zen Sangha
27290 Woodburn Hill Road
Mechanicsville, MD 20659

or to:

All Beings Zen Sangha
C/O  Rev. Inryū Ponce-Barger,
2801 Adams Mill Road NW 402
Washington DC 20009

Tag: Weddings

  • Dharma Tea at 2pm EDT on September 7, 2021 – on the topic of the “Sandokai”

    Tuesday Dharma Tea at Two pm:  Inryū Sensei will lead the discussion about the “Sandokai”  “Harmony of Difference and Equality” on September 7th, 2021 at 2pm.  Use this link to join

     

     

    Harmony of Difference and Equality

    The mind of the great sage of India
    is intimately transmitted from west to east.

    While human faculties are sharp or dull,
    The Way has northern or southern ancestors.

    The spiritual source shines clear in the light;
    the branching streams flow on in the dark.

    Grasping at things is surely delusion;
    according with sameness is still not enlightenment.

    All the objects of the senses
    interact and yet do not.

    Interacting brings involvement.
    Otherwise, each keeps its place.

    Sights vary in quality and form,
    sounds differ as pleasing or harsh.

    Refined and common speech come together in the dark,
    clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light.

    The four elements return to their natures
    Jus as a child turns to its mother;
    Fire heats, wind moves,
    water wets, earth is solid.

    Eye and sights, ear and sounds,
    Nose and smells, tongue and tastes;
    Thus with each and every thing,
    depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth.
    Trunk and branches share the essence;
    revered and common, each has its speech.

    In the light there is darkness,
    but don’t take it as darkness;

    In the dark there is light,
    but don’t see it as light.

    Light and darkness oppose one another
    like front and back foot in walking.

    Each of the myriad things has its merit,
    expressed according to function and place.

    Phenomena exist; box and lid fit.
    Principle responds; arrow points meet.

    Hearing the words, understand the meaning;
    don’t set up standards of your own.

    If you don’t understand the Way right before you,
    how will you know the path as you walk?

    Progress is not a matter of far or near,
    but if you are confused, mountains and rivers
    block your way.

    I respectfully urge you who study the mystery,
    do not pass your days and nights in vain.

    Sandôkai
    (Harmony of Difference and Equality, Japanese original, by Sekito Kisen [700-790])

    CHIKUDO DAISEN NO SHIN
    TÔZAI MITZU NI AIFUSU

    NINKON NI RIDON ARI
    DÔ NI NANBOKU NO SO NASHI

    REIGEN MYÔNI KÔ KETTARI
    SHIHA ANNI RUCHÛSU

    JI O SHÛSURU MO MOTO KORE MAYOI
    RI NI KANÔ MO MATA SATORI NI ARAZU

    MON MON ISSAI NO KYÔ
    EGO TO FUEGO TO

    ESHITE SARANI AI WATARU
    SHIKARA ZAREBA KURAI NI YOTTE JÛSU

    SHIKI MOTO SHITSUZÔ O KOTONISHI
    SHÔ MOTO RAKKU O KOTONISU

    AN WA JOSHU NO KOTO NI KANAI
    MEI WA SEIDAKU NO KU O WAKATSU

    SHIDAI NO SHÔ ONOZUKARA FUKUSU
    KONO SONO HAHA O URU GA GOTOSHI
    HI WA NESSHI KAZE WA DÔYÔ
    MIZU WA URUOI CHI WA KENGO

    MANAKO WA IRO MIMI WA ONJÔ
    HANA WA KA SHITA WA KANSO

    SHIKAMO ICHI-ICHI NO HÔ NI OITE
    NE NI YOTTE HA BUNPUSU

    HONMATSU SUBEKARAKU SHÛ NI KISU BESHI
    SONPI SONO GO O MOCHIYU

    MEICHÛ NI ATATTE AN ARI
    ANSÔ O MOTTE Ô KOTO NAKARE

    ANCHÛ NI ATATTE MEI ARI
    MEISÔ O MOTTE MIRU KOTO NAKARE

    MEIAN ONO-ONO AITAI SHITE
    HISURU NI ZENGO NO AYUMI NO GOTOSHI

    BANMOTSU ONOZUKARA KÔ ARI,
    MASANI YÔ TO SHO TO O YU BESHI

    JISON SUREBA KANGAI GASSHI
    RIÔZUREBA SENPÔ SASÔ

    KOTO O UKETE WA SUBEKARAKU SHÛ O ESU BESHI
    MIZUKARA KIKU O RISSURU KOTO NAKARE

    SOKUMOKU DÔ O ESE ZUNBA
    ASHI O HAKOBU MO IZUKUNZO MICHI O SHIRAN

    AYUMI O SUSUMUREBA GONNON NI ARAZU
    MAYÔTE SENGA NO KO O HEDA(TSU)*

    TSU(TSU)* SHINDE SAN GEN NO HITO NI MÔSU
    KÔIN MUNASHIKU WATARU KOTO NAKARE

  • Dharma Tea at Two pm EDT for August 31, 2021

    Tuesday August 31, 2021 2pm EDT Dharma Tea and Discussion  –   This tea will be lead by Senior Lay Practioner Myoshin Carlos Moura on the topic of ‘Dogen Zenji speaks to the Heart Sutra”.

    Use this link to join

    if asked for password use 512621

     

  • Evening Practice for August 26, 2021 7pm EDT

    Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program.  Tonight we will have short service followed by two periods of  Zazen.  We will close my chanting the Refuges.

    If you are asked for a password please use this  118879

    Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.

    Order of Service

    Greeting by the Kokyo

    Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo

    Heart Sutra in English

    All Buddhas Chant

    30 Minute Zazen Period

    5 minute Kinhin (slow walking) or stretch

    30 Minute Zazen Period

    Four Great Vows

    Refuges in Pali

    THE FOUR GREAT VOWS

    Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.

    Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

    Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

    Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

    Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo

    KAN ZEON

    NA MU BUTSU

    YO BUTSU U IN

    YO BUTSU U EN

    BUP PO SO  EN

    JO RAKU GA JO

    CHO NEN KANZEON

    BO NEN KANZEON

    NEN NEN JU SHIN KI

    NEN NEN FU RI SHIN

    Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra

    Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,

    when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀

    clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty

    and thus relieved all suffering.

    Shariputra,

    form does not differ from emptiness,

    emptiness does not differ from form.

    Form itself is emptiness,

    emptiness itself form.

    Sensations, perceptions, formations,

    and consciousness are also like this.

    Shariputra,

    all dharmas are marked by emptiness;

    they neither arise nor cease,

    are neither defiled nor pure,

    neither increase nor decrease.

    Therefore, given emptiness, there is

    no form, no sensation, no perception,

    no formation no consciousness;

    no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,

    no body, no mind;

    no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,

    no touch, no object of mind;

    no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness

    There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…

    neither old age and death,

    nor extinction of old age and death;

    no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;

    no knowledge and no attainment.

    With nothing to attain,

    a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀

    and thus the mind is without hindrance.

    Without hindrance, there is no fear.

    Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.

    All buddhas of past, present, and future

    rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain

    unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

    Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as

    the great miraculous mantra,

    the great bright mantra,

    the supreme mantra,

    the incomparable mantra,

    which removes all suffering

    and is true, not false.

    Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀ mantra,,

    the mantra that says:

    “Gate Gate ⨀ Paragate ⨀ Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.” ∅

    All Buddhas

    All Buddhas, ten directions, Three times

    All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas

    Wisdom beyond wisdom

    Maha Prajna Paramita

    Refuges in Pali (Call and Response)

    Accapella, inflections as follows:

    ➞Buddham Saranam Ga➚cha➘mi➞iii

    BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    DUTIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    DUTIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    DUTIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    TATIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    TATIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

    TATIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

  • Dharma Tea at Two pm August 24, 2021 – 2-2:45pm EDT

    Tuesday August 24, 2021 2pm EDT Dharma Tea and Discussion


    –   
    This tea will be lead by our Guiding Teacher Inryū Poncé-Barger on the topic of “Music that moves you to go more deeply into practice” .  Use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 512621

    2:00- 2:45pm

    First 5 minutes are for silent tea drinking

  • Dharma Tea at Two pm EDT August 17, 2021

    Tuesday August 17, 2021 2pm EDT Dharma Tea and Discussion

     –   This tea will be lead by our All Beings Zen Sangha most recent former Shuso Tendo Shōryū Chris Leader on the topic of “Flow”    .  Use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 512621

    2:00- 2:45pm

  • 8/14/21 Duncan Ryūken Williams author of “American Sutra” joins ABZS on zoom for a Q & A

    Saturday Aug 14th, 2021 2pm EDT   “American Sutra” author Duncan Ryūken Williams  visits  All Beings Zen Sangha via zoom to discuss his book.  Please use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 902076

    Duncan Ryuken Williams was born in Tokyo, Japan to a Japanese mother and British father. After growing up in Japan and England until age 17, he moved to the U.S. to attend college (Reed College) and graduate school (Harvard University, where he received a Ph.D. in Religion). Williams is currently Professor of Religion and East Asian Languages & Cultures and the Director of the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture and former Chair of USC’s School of Religion. Previously, he held the Shinjo Ito Distinguished Chair of Japanese Buddhism at UC Berkeley and served as the Director of Berkeley’s Center for Japanese Studies for four years. He has also been ordained since 1993 as a Buddhist priest in the Soto Zen tradition and served as the Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University from 1994-96.

    He is the author of The Other Side of Zen: A Social History of Soto Zen Buddhism in Tokugawa Japan (Princeton University Press, 2005) and editor of seven volumes including Hapa Japan (Kaya Press, 2017), Issei Buddhism in the Americas (U-Illinois Press, 2010), American Buddhism (Routledge, 1998), and Buddhism and Ecology (Harvard University Press, 1997). He has also translated four books from Japanese into English including Putting Buddhism to Work: A New Theory of Economics and Business Management (Kodansha, 1997).

    His latest book is American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War (Harvard University Press, 2019), which got up to #3 on the LA Times Bestseller List for Nonfiction. He has previously received research grants from the American Academy of Religion, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, the Japan Foundation, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Numata Foundation/Society for the Promotion of Buddhism. In 2011, Williams received a commendation from the Japanese government for deepening the mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and California.

  • Dharma Tea on Tuesdays for August 10, 2021 2pm EDT

    Dharma Tea lead by Sangha member Inryū Sensei on the topic of ““How has a piece of art moved you”?  Many of us have experienced a opening or awakening when viewing a piece of art.  Please bring an image and
    story of the artwork and its impact on you to share with those assembled.”
    .

    Use this link to join us in our cloud zendo today.  If asked for a password use 512621.

    First 5 minutes silent tea drinking followed by presentation by Inryū and discussion.  We conclude at 2:45pm EDT

  • Dharma Tea on Tuesday 8/3/21- Today at Two pm EDT

    Dharma Tea lead by Sangha member Alex Langlinais on the topic of “Our experience of the world is built by our minds”.

    Use this link to join us in our cloud zendo today.  If asked for a password use 512621.

    Here is an article that Alex offers as interesting reading on the topic.

    First 5 minutes silent tea drinking followed by presentation by Alex and discussion.  We conclude at 2:45pm EDT

  • Today’s Zazenkai (Zazen Retreat) July 31, 2021 8am ED

    Join All Beings Zen Sangha for a day of Zazen.  We will have a few people in the urban zendo and others joining via the cloud zendo.

    Use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 189611

    Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.

    8am    Robe Chant & and start of Zazen

    8:30 Service

    8:40am Soji (Temple Cleaning)

    9:15  Zazen

    9:45  Kinhin (slow walking)

    10:25  Outside Kinhin (faster pace and litter clean up)

    11:00  Indoor Kinhin (slow walking)

    11:10  Dharma Talk

    12 – 1  Lunch Break

    1:00 Zazen

    1:30  Kinhin

    1:40  Zazen

    2:10  Kinhin

    2:20 Zazen

    2:50  Closing & Chanting of Refuges

     

    Order of Service

    Robe Chant before zazen.

    Forty minute period of zazen

    After zazen: Four Great Vows

    Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom

    Heart Sutra in English

    Shosaimyo Kichijo Dharani (Dharani for avoiding calamity) chanted 3 times

    If your schedule allows please stay on the zoom call to do a brief check-in after the service is concluded.

    ROBE CHANT

    DAI SAI GE DA PU KU

    MUSO FUKU DEN E

    HI BU NYORAI KYO

    KO DO SHOSHU JO

    Great robe of liberation

    Field far beyond form and emptiness

    Wearing the Tathagata’s teaching

    Saving all beings.

    After Zazen

    The Four Great Vows

    Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.

    Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

    Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

    Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

    After Koan reading

    Dharana for avoiding calamity

    Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom

    Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom, the lovely, the holy.

    The Perfection of Wisdom gives light. Unstained, the entire

    world cannot stain her. She is the source of light, and from

    everyone in the triple world she removes darkness.

    Most excellent are her works. She brings light so that all

    fear and distress may be forsaken, and disperses the gloom

    and darkness of delusion. She herself is an organ of vision.

    She has a clear knowledge of the own-being of all dharmas,

    for she does not stray away from it. The Perfection of Wisdom

    of the Buddhas sets in motion the Wheel of Dharma.

    Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra

    Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,

    when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀

    clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty

    and thus relieved all suffering.

    Shariputra,

    form does not differ from emptiness,

    emptiness does not differ from form.

    Form itself is emptiness,

    emptiness itself form.

    Sensations, perceptions, formations,

    and consciousness are also like this.

    Shariputra,

    all dharmas are marked by emptiness;

    they neither arise nor cease,

    are neither defiled nor pure,

    neither increase nor decrease.

    Therefore, given emptiness, there is

    no form, no sensation, no perception,

    no formation no consciousness;

    no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,

    no body, no mind;

    no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,

    no touch, no object of mind;

    no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness

    There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…

    neither old age and death,

    nor extinction of old age and death;

    no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;

    no knowledge and no attainment.

    With nothing to attain,

    a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀

    and thus the mind is without hindrance.

    Without hindrance, there is no fear.

    Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.

    All buddhas of past, present, and future

    rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain

    unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

    Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as

    the great miraculous mantra,

    the great bright mantra,

    the supreme mantra,

    the incomparable mantra,

    which removes all suffering

    and is true, not false.

    Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀ mantra,

    the mantra that says:

    “Gate Gate ⨀ Paragate ⨀ Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.” ∅

    Shosaimyo Kichijo Dharani

    (Auspicious Dharani or Spell For Averting Calamity)

    NO MO SAN MAN DA

    MOTO NAN

    OHA RA CHI KOTO SHA

    SONO NAN TO JI TO

    EN GYA GYA

    GYA KI GYA KI

    UN NUN SHIFU RA SHIFU RA

    HARA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA

    CHISHU SA CHISHU SA

    CHISHU RI CHISHU RI

    SOHA JA SOHA JA

    SEN CHI GYA

    SHIRI EI SO MO KO

    All Buddhas

    All Buddhas, ten directions,

    Three times

    All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas

    Wisdom beyond wisdom

    Maha Prajna Paramita

     

     

     

  • Dharma Tea on Tuesday at Two pm EDT “Contemplative Practice of Working with Ones Hands”

    Dharma Tea on Tuesday at Two pm EDT July 20th, 2021.  Join All Beings Zen Sangha for 45 minutes.  Todays discuss the topic is “Working with ones hands as a contemplative practice”.  This tea will be lead by the ABZS guiding teacher Sensei Inryū Poncé-Barger.     For the first 5 minutes we can enjoy silent tea drinking together.   All are welcome!  Use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 512621