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The book we’ll be reading this fall is Robert A.F. Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakirti Sutra.  The discussions  will be at All Beings on October 14th and November 4th.

There a few different ways to get this text.

It exists at a few university libraries in the area, so if you happen to have borrowing privileges at AU, GW, GM, or UMD, by all means pick up a copy there.

It’s on Amazon for $24.

But then also, it’s free as a PDF.

Join us October 14th, 2017 8-9:30am to begin our dialogue around this text.  Feel welcome to bring other translations as well.   All are welcome.

The choice is yours!  Hope that helps.  Feel free to e-mail me, Sam Reggio if you’re having trouble finding a copy.  Thanks, and happy reading.

Hoping some of you can join us for a half day meditation retreat on Labor Day September 4th, 2017

Call to Artists! All Beings Zen Sangha is announcing a call to artists for the 2018 Sangha calendar project. Submissions are now being accepted for drawings, paintings, photography, poetry, brief writings, and other forms in digital format. Please submit up to three works for consideration via e-mail to Inryu at inryubobbi@gmail.com and John  at emailjohnf@gmail.com.

June 8th, Thursday at 7pm – Way Seeking Mind Talk by Sangha Member Robert Quinn on the subject: Trying to find freedom within my limits RSVP inryu@allbeingszen.org

June 17, Saturday at 7 p.m. All Beings Zen Sangha will host a film night at Maitri House, the community where Sangha member Eric Jonas lives. We will show the 2015 Burmese film, Golden Kingdom (trailer here: https://goo.gl/w5ExVQ). Shot on location in Burma with a cast comprised almost entirely of young Burmese monks, the film tells the story of four Burmese child monks left to fend for themselves while their abbott is called away from their monastery. It deals with themes of coming of age through a Buddhist lens. You can read a review of it here: https://goo.gl/8sBENf

Our house is located at 251 Manor Circle in Takoma Park, about a 1 mile walk from the Takoma Metro station. There is usually ample free street parking: https://goo.gl/maps/KCsYv5SVan42 RSVP inryu@allbeingszen.org
June 25th – Sunday 9am – 12noon. Join us for a morning retreat focusing on zazen with intervals of zen sewing. In Suzuki Roshi’s lineage, zen sewing as in integral component of practice. Come and learn about sewing the Kashaya (Buddha’s robe) and how to use working with needle and thread to deepen your zen practice. All are welcome. RSVP inryu@allbeingszen.org

Summer Events

• July 22nd – ABZS Open ABZS Board of Directors Meeting – Highland, MD
• Aug 3rd-7th — 5 Day Sesshin at Woodburn Hill Farm, MD

 “Embracing the Inconceivable Power of Life:  The Wisdom of Motomachi”

Rev. Shojo Danny Parker is currently the resident priest at “The Zen Room” in Cocoa Beach Florida.   Rev. Shojo received priest ordination at the Berkeley Zen Center in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in 2011.  His long time zen teacher, Edward Espe Brown was the preceptor.  In addition to being a Zen teacher, Rev. Shojo is a writer, scientist and cook.

Kin Ki Shin Sei Ilaria Tassi to offer a Way Seeking Mind Talk on Thursday May 11th at 7pm

Inspired by the book When Breath Becomes Air by Mr.. Paul Kalanithi (who was a resident in neurosurgery when he died of lung cancer before completing his residency), Ilaria will talk about her identity as a daughter to her parents and as a scientist in a corporation and how the Dharma teachings guide her in these two important aspects of her life.

Ilaria Tassi is originally from Rome, Italy and moved to St Louis, MO, in 2003 to be trained as scientist in Immunology. She began her zen practice in Washington DC with the All Beings Zen Sangha in 2012. Where she studied with Rev. Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger. In April of 2016 she received Jukai with Roshi Dairyu Michael Wenger and Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger officiating.

Since 2014 she has lived in San Francisco, where she works as a scientist in a start-up company that is working to find cures to neuro-degenerative diseases. She currently practices at the San Francisco Zen Center with Anshin Rosalie Curtis and at Dragon’s Leap Meditation Center with Roshi Dairyu Michael Wenger.

Photo by Muhammad Alhawagri

Guest Dharma Teacher,  Roshi Kotatsu John Bailes to offer  a Dharma talk on Dogen Zenji’s “Ocean Mudra Samadhi”.

Sunday April 30th 2pm

Soto Zen Priest, Kotatsu John Bailes practiced Zen at the San Francisco Zen Center from the age of 19 to 32, 1972 through 1984. He was ordained a Zen Priest by Richard Baker Roshi in 1977, lived at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Zen monastery, for three years, practiced at Green Gulch Farm and the City Center in San Francisco during which time he held various positions from garbage man to Abbot’s Assistant and “Head” of the Zendo.

From 1984 until 2004 he practiced as an ordinary citizen while receiving a degree in International Political Economy from Harvard University, developing the Investment Advisory and Securities Division of a regional financial planning firm in the Boston area, marrying the visual artist Jesa Damora in 1989, participating in a sailboat race around the world in 2000 – 01 and becoming a professional sailboat captain, USCG 100 Ton Sail, RYA Yacht Master Ocean, and sailing about all over the world.

In 2004 John returned to community dharma practice, received the precepts from and was recognized and acknowledged as a Zen Teacher by Zoketsu Norman Fischer who invited him to participate in the Everyday Zen Community, the Red Cedar Zen Community of Bellingham, Washington, where he was Shuso, Head Monk, and the Mountain Rain Zen Community of Vancouver BC all of whom so kindly adopted him and helped him Open to this One Heart of Being. We cannot do this alone.

Kotatsu currently resides in Somerville, MA and is the guiding teacher for the Monmouth Zen Circle/Compassion Ocean Sangha in NJ.

RSVP: inryu@allbeingszen.org

Both photos courtesy of Carlos Moura

All Beings Zen Sangha is pleased to host

Rev. Ben Connelly for a Dharma Talk about the practice of Yogacara

 

Thursday April 27th – 7pm.  

 

Please RSVP : inryu@allbeingszen.org

 

Ben Connelly is a Soto Zen teacher and Dharma heir in the Katagiri lineage. He teaches at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center. Ben is also a professional musician and teaches mindfulness in a wide variety of secular contexts. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

 

Rev. Ben Connelly has written Inside Vasubandhu’s Yogacara : a practical, down-to-earth guide to Vasubandhu’s classic work “ hirty Verses of Consciousness Only” that can transform modern life and change how you see the world.