Evening Practice for August 17, 2023 7pm Eastern

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 a Wellbeing Service followed by one period of Zazen and the chanting of the refuges.    If you would like stay after refuges and do a welcome and check-in please do

If you are asked for a password please use this  041285

ABZS does keep an attendance of participation in sangha events*  this is done for the welfare of it’s members and for guidance in future programing

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

Heart Sutra in English

30 minutes period of zazen

5 minute period of Kinhin (slow walking meditation)

Enmei X 9

Loving Kindness Meditation

Dedication of merit.

Refuges in Pali

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.” ∅

Well Being Ceremony – Call and Response

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo (9 times) led by Kokyo

Loving Kindness Meditation led byDoshi

Dedication of Merit led by Doshi

Refuges in Pali

Post service check in (please feel welcome to stay or depart as your schedule requires)

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo X9

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

Loving Kindness Meditation

This is what should be accomplished by the one who is wise,

Who seeks the good and has obtained peace:

Let one be strenuous, upright and sincere,

WIthout pride, easily contented and joyous.

Let one not be submerged by the things of the world.

Let one not take upon one’s self the burden of riches.

Let one’s senses be controlled.

Let one be wise, but not puffed up: and 

Let one not desire great possessions even for one’s family.

Let one do nothing that is mean or that the wise would reprove

May all beings be happy.

May they be joyous and live in safety.

All living beings, whether weak or strong,

In high or middle or low realms of existence,

Small or great, visible or invisible, 

Near or far, born or to be born,

May all beings be happy.

Let no one deceive another, nor despise any being in any state;

Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.

Even as a mother at the risk of her life

Watches over and protects her only child,

So with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things,

Suffusing love over the entire world,

Above, below and all around without limit; 

So let one cultivate an infinite good will toward the whole world.

Standing or walking, sitting or lying down,

During all one’s waking hours

Let one practice the way with gratitude.

Not holding to fixed views,

Endowed with insight, 

Freed from sense appetites,

One who achieves the way

Will be freed from the duality of birth and death.

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

Evening Practice for August 10, 2023 7pm Eastern

Here is the Zoom link to join in the cloud zendo, password if needed: 041285

Tonight we will have a short service followed by two periods of Zazen with an interval of Kinhin (5 minutes of slow walking in between). We will conclude by chanting the refuges in Pali. Please feel welcome to stay on zoom if you are able to share greetings with the sangha.

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.

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 (text available at highlighted links)

Greeting by the Kokyo

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo

Heart Sutra in English

25 Minute Zazen Period

5 minutes of Kinhin (slow walking)

25 Minute Zazen Period

Four Great Vows

Refuges in Pali

Brief Check in and announcements

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Dharma Tea on Tuesday for August 8, 2023 2-2:45pm. What is a healing circle?

Today – Tuesday Dharma Tea at 2PM for August 8, 2023 led by Inryū Sensei.   What to expect from a “ABZS Healing Circle”.   Inryū Sensei will provide the essential outline for how the weekly “Healing Circle” is conducted on Sundays.  Curious about what a “Healing Circle” is and how it can be a useful component a Zen Practice?  

What you can expect.  Our usual 5 minutes of silent tea drinking.  Information and Poetry to discuss and 5 minutes of silence at the end of the online gathering.   Online only.  The Dharma Tea concludes at 2:45pm Eastern.

Join with this link.  If asked for a password use   842721

Summer Appeal from our Board President

Dear Friends and Members of All Beings Zen Sangha,

With your support All Beings Zen Sangha continues to thrive. Recently, we completed our Spring practice period focusing on “Dogen’s Instructions for the Cook”. Activities included a book discussion and guest speaker Gesshin Claire Greenwood on being Tenzo at Zen Niso-do Temple in Japan. Other guest speakers over the past six months included Barbara Wenger, Yoku Okumura, Rehshin Bunce, and Jisan Tova Green.  Our final Shuso Hossen Ceremony was well attended both in person and on zoom with prominent Senior Dharma teachers in attendance.

Our Tuesday afternoon teas have focused on a variety of themes from physical activity as meditation to artistic creation.

Seiryu Paula Chiplis on her experience of being Benji
Suzanne Ernhalt on the Summer Solstice
Myoshin Carlos Moura on Dogens writings on simplicity
Seido David Sarpal on Zen Practice and Artistic Creation
Betty Mooney on the Alexander Technique and Zen
Inryu Sensei on “What to Keep” and also on “Tassajara Sangha Week”

Nine sangha members traveled to Tassajara Zen Mountain Center for Sangha week.

ABZS now offers a weekly Meditation and Recovery Healing Circle on Sundays. 

ABZS Sangha members demonstrated Oryoki practice and provided a food gift for attendees at the Smithsonian Asian Art Museum Film event.

Generosity is the practice of wholehearted giving and is the first paramita, a quality of mind of a Bodhisattva. Your contributions provide a humble stipend for our guiding teacher, support our practice spaces at the urban zendo and at Woodburn Hill Farm, and cover our other operational expenses. Regular monthly contributions are particularly supportive because they provide a broad base of dependable support for the Sangha, which enables us to plan for future expenses with a clear picture of our projected revenues, increasing our financial resilience. We ask that you donate only if you feel comfortable doing so at this time, and to place your circumstances first when deciding whether to contribute.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to join us for our services, you are always welcome. Our Sangha’s schedule page contains our service schedule and details on how to participate via Zoom 

Also please be aware that Dokusan, a private meeting with our resident teacher (Inryū Sensei) to discuss practice, is available upon request, as well as practice discussions with our Practice Leaders.  

Yours in the Dharma.  

Shinren Mark Stone

All Beings Zen Sangha, President

www.allbeingszen.org

Please find All Beings Zen Sangha Donation Page information here:   https://allbeingszen.org/contact/

Please direct questions about one-time donations or becoming a monthly donor to:  Shōryū Christopher Leader at treasurer@allbeingszen.org
Shōryū treasurer@allbeingszen.org can also be contacted about  Estate planning and any questions  regarding Charitable Giving accounts, including assistance in setting one up with your brokerage, and in-kind stock donations.

Dharma Tea at Two pm for July 11, 2023 – Alexander Technique and Zen 2-2:45 Eastern

Tuesday Dharma Tea at 2PM for July 11, 2023 led by Betty Mooney on the topic of the “Alexander Technique and how it can support Zen practice” .   Online only Use this link to join and if asked for password use 842721

Betty’s bio here

After majoring in dance at the University of Michigan and simultaneously obtaining a degree in Massage Therapy I proceeded to dance professionally and open my own massage practice. After several years I found myself suffering from back pain from giving massages and it was recommended to me that I study the Alexander Technique. I was very fortunate to study in Lincoln, Nebraska under Majorie Barstow who was trained by Alexander in England and was one of the first teachers in America. After several years of study and having resolved my back problems I began teaching the Alexander Technique at my dance studio in Charlottesville, VA.  My meditation practice began with Thich Nhat Hahn at his monastery Deer Park and I attended several week long retreats when he would come to the United States to teach. I have continued my meditation practice with several teachers since the 1980’s: Tara Brach, Anam Thubten, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and currently Norman Fischer. 

I presently have a private practice and teach meditation and resiliency retreats for the Compassionate Care Initiative at the University of Virginia Nursing School. Both the weekly sessions and the retreats have a mindful movement component based on the Alexander Technique. 

I’ve always felt that because of my Alexander training the idea of being embodied in meditation practice was second nature for me and I found many overlapping concepts; concentration of the mind, awareness of the body and the practice of restraint or pausing to think in an embodied way before acting. 

Evening Practice for June 29, 2023 7pm Eastern. Inryū Sensei to offer a Dharma Talk following one period of zazen

Tonight we will have a short service that includes chanting the Heart Sutra in English. Followed by one period of Zazen and a Dharma Talk offered by Inryū Sensei . Will we close with chanting the refuges. You are welcome to stay online following the chanting of the refuges to share greetings with the sangha.

Photograph by Suzanne Ehrenhalt


Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program.

If you are asked for a password please use this   041285

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

25 Minute Zazen Period

5 minutes of Kinhin (slow walking)

Dharma Talk

Four Great Vows

Refuges in Pali

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.” ∅

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.

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