Sunday Morning Book Discussion
Every Sunday following service, we have informal discussion about Zen, Buddhism, and practice using a selected reading as focal point and springboard. No homework required. We read a short section together. Our current text is given below.
Essence of Zen: Teachings of Sekkei Harada,
Translated by Daigaku Rumme
Harada Roshi is a contemporary Japanese Soto Zen priest. This book is a collection of talks. It begins with Roshi’s commentary on Dogen Zenji’s “Universal Recommendation of Zazen,” a classic meditation manual from the 13th century.
The practice of Zen is the study of the Self. It isn’t a matter of following the words of some Zen master, whether written or spoken. I would like you not to be mistaken on this point. Don’t look for Zen in the Buddhist teachings or in the words of a teacher. The role of a teacher is to keep a person going in a straight line in the study of the Self. -–Sekkei Harada Roshi