A Request from China

Zen Master Dae Kwan, who is the guiding teacher of the Hong Kong Zen Center, has sent this request our to all the members of our school:

Dear All,

We like to encourage all our students to support the government request to meditate for 3 minutes to all the deceased who die during the earthquake in Sichuan at 2:28pm for 3 days.

WHEN YOUR MIND IS PURE THE LAND IS ALSO PURE.

May we meditate with this mind and dedicate to the Sichuan victims to sacrifice for all beings.

-May all the deceased go to good and bright pure land and be free from frustration, anger and sadness. Attain good rebirth.

May their death turn to a great bodhisattva action for all beings, help all beings to wake up from our delusion and attachment.

May we show our deepest gratitude and apologies to your unfortunate death. Because of our bad action to our Earth that this happen in your place.

May more life be rescued.

May all families be taken care of and no one is left out.

May all the missing families be reunited.

May all the frontline volunteers’ be safe and with great energy to help those who are in need.

May all of us wake up and learn from this bad situation and continue to bring forth great love and great care to those who are in need until all become independent.

May we all learn from this disaster and turn it to a great teaching to this whole world that government and subject become one will heal all crisis.

You can share this dedication with everybody.

Yours In Dharma,
Sifu / Dae Kwan

New Location?

Looks like the Tall Grass Zen Center has a brand new location! Wow! No building fund drive or anything. Guess all that hard practice really pays off here on the physical plain after all.

Either that or its some sort of sports medicine clinic in Topeka.

Which do you like?

Kwan Se Um Bosal

Thom Pastor JDPSN was seriously injured a few days ago when he was rear-ended by a drunk driver traveling in excess of 100 mph. Thom's neck and shoulder were broken. Fortunately, his spinal cord was not damaged. He had surgery on his shoulder today and will have to wear a neck halo for some time as his neck heals.

Please keep Thom and his family in your thoughts.

Midwest Sangha Weekend

April 25-27 was Midwest Sangha Weekend, hosted for the third time in a row by the Ten Directions Zen Community. Five teachers attended: Bobby Rhodes, School Zen Master & Guiding Teacher of TDZC (among others); Dae Kwang Sunim, School Abbot and Guiding Teaching of the Great Lake Zen Center in Milwaukee (among others); Linc Rhodes, guiding teacher of the Indianpolis Zen Center, Prairyerth Zen Center (Topeka) and Tall Grass Zen; Judy Roitman, Guiding Teacher of the Kansas Zen Center (Lawrence, KS) and Red Earth Zen Center (Oklahoma); and Thom Pastor, Guiding Teaching of the Isthmus Zen Community (Madison, WI) and Great Brightness Zen Center (Las Vegas, which really puts the "west" into "midwest").

Naturally, there were even more students than teachers, including Margaret and Christina. It was wonderful to see so many old dharma friends and to make new ones as well.

The weekend kicked off on Friday with a workshop for Dharma Teachers and Dharma Teachers-in-training. We all practiced together Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday and Sunday mornings. At this event, all the teachers give interviews, and there's no telling who is behind the door you've just been called to!

There were workshops all day Saturday as well as Sunday morning. Saturday evening there was a variety show. I'm sure that the stars were the family of drummers, including a mom, a dad, and two little kids. Hopefully, soon there will be some photos!

A million thanks to the Ten Directions Zen Community for hosting this great event!