Master Kodo Sawaki says: “Our vocation as human beings is to be true human beings. This means that a human being’s vocation is to be Buddha, and not a terribly mean little mushroom.” What Kodo Sawaki means is that human beings’ vocation is not to live like a demon: a demon of hatred, a demon […]
The premise of this chôsan is a film, The Venerable W, about a Burmese monk who encourages racism towards Islam. I have reservations about engaged Buddhism that shifts towards politics. That monk, pointing the finger at crimes committed by radical Muslims, appears to be defending a just and noble cause, but he is motivated by […]
” […] Zen is different: its purpose is not to fix the ego, to make it compatible with society or the others. Zen deals with issues having to do with a whole other nature […]”
The commitment of a nun in the city (Hosetsu Laure Scemama) There exits several styles of life for a Zen monk or nun. I would like here to present an account of the style of life of a nun who is totally engaged in city life. In Japan, monks live in the temples. The can […]
As you can see, it is possible to live in a monastery for a number of years and remain quite normal! In our Sangha of the AZI certain members imagine that monks and nuns live in a monastery like “extra-terrestrial” beings – austere, strangers to the problems of normal life. In reality, in a […]
Human beings are religious animals. The Absolute is present at the heart of all phenomena of the universe. The entire universe practises the Way, naturally, unconsciously, and automatically. That gives rise to the question that Master Dogen had before meeting Master Nyojo: “Why practise if everything is Buddha ? “ His doubts resolved, he tells […]
I would like to introduce you to some aspects of the Diamond Sutra which will perhaps make you want to read it and above all to practice it. A diamond is a most precious and rare thing. I have been told that there is a star 95 % of which is made of diamond…this does […]
It is sad to see that too often, our materialistic Western societies feed on the energy of the three poisons. They are in crisis, starting to fall apart… Something must change in the way we live. Buddha explains that ignorance, the first poison, leads to the other two, greed and aversion. We make money with […]
Sotoshu :
Ecole zen Sôtô
UBF :
Union Bouddhiste de France