SUMMER 2015
IN THIS
ISSUE Koans: How We Work with Them; How They Work on Us Sangha Notes Sewer Repairs ___________________________
VISIT US 1423 New York Street Lawrence KS 66044 kansaszencenter.org Pictured: Dan Poule of Watersphere Plumbing.
Kong-ans By Judy Roitman (Zen Master Bon Hae) The Summer 2015 issue of Buddhadharma published a panel discussion Koans: How We Work with Them; How They Work on Us. One of the panelists was our guiding teacher, Judy Roitman (Zen Master Bon Hae). Here, with minor editing, are some extracts from her contribution to the discussion.
One of the striking things about working with kongans is that you’re using language to cut through language. The phrase “before speech, before thinking” refers to an aspect of mind that is much more fundamental than what we’re used to paying attention to. Through kong-ans, you begin to develop the ability to cut through ordinary preconceptions and ways of thinking, to respond not from the intellect or emotions but from that “Part of the more fundamental In Korean Zen, the hwadu tradition involves asking place. the Great Question, most commonly in the form of tremendous power What am I? or What is this? In classical hwadu pracof kong-ans is that Part of the tremendous tice you’re not looking for an “answer,” you’re using the question to attain your true nature, to cut power of kong-ans is the student’s that the student’s per- through conceptual thoughts like a hot knife through sonal story is complete- butter. In contrast, when we work with kong-ans, our personal story is ly irrelevant. One of my practice is to let the kong-an come up naturally, not to hold on to it but to look at it when it arises. Not teachers, Zen Master completely trying to intellectualize, not trying to analyze, just Su Bong, once said to looking at it from different angles, as if turning an obirrelevant. “ me that to work with kong-ans, you have to ject in the palm of your hand and then letting it go. be a great actor. What It’s the hwadu, the “don’t know,” that we tell students to carry into their lives, not so much the indihe meant was not that you pretend, but that you vidual kong-an. completely become the kong-an. So if someone is hanging from a tree branch by her teeth, it’s you hanging from that branch, and you are hanging there completely. If you are given one of the cases involving an encounter between two monks, you become one of those monks, or perhaps a witness on the scene. Although obviously you bring your life to the kong-an, you become the situation, not limited to your own life at all. When people give wrong answers to kong-ans, their karma appears. They can see their karma very clearly and recognize that it’s not relevant to the situation. Being able to recognize and look past your karma is a critical aspect of this work.
I always tell people that kong-an practice is a noconsequence situation — not passing a kong-an is not going to affect your marriage or your children or your job. It doesn’t go onto your permanent record. People get angry, hate themselves, go into selfabnegation — all over something that really has no practical consequences. When your answer is not approved, you get to see how your mind creates these feelings; you get to see your karma in a certain way. Kong-ans reveal the karma everyone carries around with them. (cont’d next page)
Sangha notes We thank the folks who helped on the April workday: Geraldine Dotson, Stan Lombardo, Judy Roitman, John van Sickel, Richard Shank, Charlie Vitale. We also thank the many folks who have helped pick weeds after practice, including Francisco Irby, James Kizer, Stan Lombardo, Judy Roitman, Margaret Rausch, Gyoim Yun, David Whitaker, Adrian LeCesne. Special thanks to David Whitaker for cleaning and restoring the pond and, yes, weeding, and to Margaret Rausch for clearing the detritus near the alley. Congratulations to the people who took five precepts in April: Richard Saunders, Dale Thompson, and David Whitaker. We send condolences to Bill Bunn on the death of his brother Kelly Bunn, and to Geraldine Dotson on the death of her aunt Lillian Kwok, and to Shari Wilson of the death of her father, Del McDougal. After Todd Wyant broke his arm in a bicycle accident a number of Zen Center members contributed to an online fundraising campaign to help him. Thank you! Todd is doing well and should be fully recovered soon. Congratulations to Gyoim Yun on her promotion to associate professor with tenure. Congratulations to Alex Fennell on his graduation from KU. He will be going to graduate school at Ohio State — we’ll miss him! We’ll also miss Kristen Metcalf, who has lived at the Zen Center for many years and has added a lot to the feeling of comfort and welcome in the house. And we welcome David Whitaker as a new resident in the house. There is still space for another resident. If you’re interested in living in the Zen Center, contact us at kansaszencenter@gmail.com. We welcome new board members Richard Saunders and Geraldine Dotson, and thank continuing board members Edna Baginsky, Jennifer Balke, Bill Bunn, Steve Olson, Richard Shank, Charlie Vitale, Blake Wilson, and Todd Wyant. And we thank Soyoung Kim for her service on the board last year. (Kong-ans cont’d)
As a teacher you want to help students believe in themselves. Even when telling students the answer they gave is not something you’re going to accept, you still want to affirm that you believe in them and that they should believe in themselves. Right or wrong answer doesn’t matter. Perhaps the mot important thing a teacher does in that interview room is to believe in everyone.
Sewer Repairs The Zen Center property has had major challenges in the last six months. Halfway through the January five day retreat we discovered a serious problem with the sewage system. After a short-term patch we discovered that the clay pipes, which were over 100 years old, had completely disintegrated. Ditches were excavated, new pipe installed, and landscape renovation has been completed (except for plantings). A lot of folks helped with labor and clean up, including Geraldine Dotson, Joe Janowski, Stan Lombardo, Judy Roitman, Jan Schaake, Richard Shank, Dale Thompson, Charlie Vitale, Blake Wilson, Todd Wyant. We are grateful to Dan Poule (Watersphere Plumbing) and Owen Lehman (Comet Concrete) for their fast, professional repair. Landscape renovation is being done by David Douglas (in collaboration with über-volunteer Stan Lombardo). The grounds look better than ever. After all that major repair and renovation, our bank account now looks worse than ever. An online auction in February raised about $3000, and our new online fundraiser can be found at razoo.com/story/Kzc-Sewer-Repair.
5-day retreat with Zen Master Bon Hae (Judy Roitman) Tuesday July 7 6:30 p.m. to Sunday July 12 noon. Advance registration required. How to do Zen: a class for people who want to learn about Zen meditation Thursday September 3 7 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. Taught by Zen Master Hae Kwang (Stan Lombardo). One-day retreat with Zen Master Bon Hae (Judy Roitman) Saturday September 12 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. Orientation for beginners at 8:30 a.m. Bring a brown -bag lunch. Advance registration required. Two-day retreat with Zen Master Hae Kwang (Stan Lombardo) Friday Nov. 20 6:30 p.m. – Sunday Nov. 22 noon. Advance registration required. Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Ceremony followed by pot-luck lunch Sunday December 13 10:30 a.m. 500 Bows for the New Year Friday, January 1 10 a.m. Two-day retreat with Zen Master Bon Hae (Judy Roitman) Friday January 8 6:30 p.m. – Sunday January 10 noon. Advance registration required.
Contact the Zen Center to register for retreats. On multi-day retreats, it is possible to join for part of the retreat. Multi-day retreats are $50/day; one-day retreats are $25. Scholarships are available for retreats. No-one is ever turned away for lack of funds. Contact the Zen Center to register for retreats if you need financial assistance or special arrangements.
Lawrence Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Wednesday 7 to 8 p.m. with special chanting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. Sunday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. with orientation for beginners at 9:00 a.m. Kong-an interviews during Sunday practice. Regular practice is suspended during retreats and ceremonies. We have 5 or 6 retreats a year, and two ceremonies. Please check the events schedule for ceremony and retreat dates.
Kansas City Kansas City Zen Group Unity Church on the Plaza Tuesday evenings 7:00 to 8:00 pm First Tuesday of every month: talk and questions at 8:00 pm. Kong-an interviews are the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Severe weather notice: For everyone’s safety, practice is not held during severe weather, i.e., during national weather service warnings or advisories.