Original Root Zen Center

FIND PEACE. BE PEACE. GIVE PEACE.
“Peace School” is an after-school program designed for 4 to 8 year-old children to help them develop peaceful ways of living in this world. It’s curriculum is rooted in four key areas: empathy, compassion, altruism, and loving-kindness. Peace skills are taught through art, music, words, nature, play, emotions and feelings. “Peace School” students are encouraged to share what they learn with their families through simple homework and projects they can take home. Classes take place at the Original Root Zen Center, 600 21st St. on the DeKoven Center grounds. It is led by professional educators and Zen Buddhist clergy. Each six-week session costs $60 per student, and $20 for each additional sibling. The fee includes all class materials and a healthy snack.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Anton Somlai, Master Teacher

Happiness is simple, why make it difficult? Waking up starts with the awareness of one egoistic thought, “I didn’t ask for this.” At its core, the belief that things should be different than they are creates inordinate amounts of stress. Denying the reality of a fender-bender will not make contacting the auto-insurance company any easier. Walking past the dirty dishes in hopes that they will disappear will not bring peace of mind. The world is as it is and this moment doesn’t care what you asked for. The prince struggles under the Bodhi tree for six years trying to break free of the world he was born into. He didn’t ask for this either, he also yearned for something different. However, with effort he found the truth and one day a very simple enlightenment appeared and the seed of infinite happiness was discovered.

The answer you seek faces an inevitable question, “When will you whole-heartedly commit to this life, this moment?” Thinking that this moment is not what you want will only create greater separation, isolation, stress, and suffering. This is why we get mad when someone draws our attention to what needs doing. We don’t like it because that is not what we were asking for. Appreciate this life by looking below the surface of what you want and live in the true meaning of why you are here. Each moment provides you a real time awareness of helping others release their suffering. There is an ugly way to clean the house and there is a blissful way to clean the house. One way is attached to desire and the other is an affirmation that this life isn’t about me.

Read the rest of this entry »

Please join us for this wonderful tradition. ORZC celebrates the enlightenment of all Buddhas, as well as those who wish to make an outward commitment towards precepts they will take as guides in their practice.

This year we have members taking Pathfinder, Peacekeeper and Teacher-in-Training precepts. A vegetarian potluck meal will be provided after. Email or call us with questions or to reserve your cushion!

This is a great ceremony to attend, even for those new to Zen, as it focuses on the precepts Zen Buddhists live by each day, and the importance of maintaining a supportive, practicing community in one’s spiritual life.

The ceremony begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11.

By Anton Somlai, Master Teacher

A sword student once asked his teacher, “When does the practice become easier?” The sword master replied, “If your practice is easy you are doing it wrong.”  This is the primary point in Buddhism.

There is a false belief that meditation practice becomes easier with time. The sleepy body always prefers a snuggly, warm bed to sitting on a cushion in the dharma room. There is no easy path to follow. There is no hard path to take. There is no perfection to achieve. There is no imperfection to destroy. The wasted effort to change external situations is humorous at best.

In a consumer society it is difficult to believe that there is nothing more to guzzle, chomp, and devour. Life is not about survival; it is about giving. Look at the 3 Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) in a more complete way.

Have the conviction to stay with a practicing path. The practice is not hard or easy because there is nothing but happiness to offer others. With time and effort the insight gained through practice will guide loving and kind response to all life events. Then, the path becomes one of cultivating good friendships.
This is the age of the Grand Deception where consumerism corrupts empathy and loving-kindness is an object. Pay attention and life teaches the way of service and mercy. Follow a compassionate method and closely investigate the question, “If life is suffering, why am I so happy?”

Get to that point and every moment is an opportunity to help others, to heal their wounds. Get to that point and hindrances vanish.

Why? Because there is no easy or hard path and there is nothing to consume. Keep only one thought, only one intention, and that is help all beings — even sword masters. Keep that one thought, that one intention, and allow this beautiful contemplative practice to do its work.

The Master Teacher’s article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of the Root and Branch newsletter.