“The way of belonging is doing.”
On the occasion of Hana Matsuri, a ceremony to celebrate the Buddha’s birth, Koshin Sensei invites us to set down our demand for things to be a certain way, for things to be perfect, and to fully enter the world in all its messy beauty. As Kodo Sawaki Roshi instructs, “Nothing has to be done in a particular way. Yet it has to be done in the highest and best possible way.”
According to one of the earliest accounts of the Buddha’s birth, what is astounding, even magical, is that the Buddha enters the world ‘consciously, deliberately, and at the center of his own story.’ Grounded, clear, and connected is Buddha nature. Or as Kodo Sawaki Roshi puts it, “What is called having magical powers doesn’t mean anything more than having a facial expression that isn’t muddled.” Near the end of this talk, Koshin discusses teachings from the Buddha, as relevant in our time as his own, about the three intoxications with youth, health, and life. Obsessions that can actually bring deprivation. Leaning into the deep wisdom of the myths surrounding Hana Matsuri, Koshin is asking us to consider what is birthed when we make the effort to honor who we are right now? It is not about being or doing anything perfectly, but rather about fully showing up.
ZENTALK NOTES
Koshin Paley Ellison Sensei Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, leader in contemplative care, and co-founder of an educational non-profit called the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. His books, grounded in Buddhist wisdom and practice, have gained national attention. Through its numerous educational programs, contemplative retreats, and Soto Zen Buddhist practices, the New York Zen Center touches thousands of lives every year.
MUSIC
Heart Sutra by Kanho Yakushiji – Buddhist priest and musician of the Rinzai sect and Imaji temple in Imabari, Japan. In 2003, he formed “KISSAQUO”, a songwriting duo based in Kyoto.
NYZC PUBLICATIONS
- Untangled here: https://bit.ly/untangled-book
- Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up here: https://amzn.to/2JTKF1t
- Awake At The Bedside here: https://amzn.to/3aijXdL
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