Mountains and Rivers Without End
Dogen class series continues through April 12

“O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!”
“And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.”
Hamlet, Act 1, Scene Five, William Shakespeare

Mountains and Rivers Without End, a class series examining Dogen Zenji’s seminal fascicle,
Mountains and Rivers Sutra (Sansuikyo), continues January 16th at McGowan House.

The understanding that the natural world itself is Buddha’s teaching, Dogen’s relationship to koans and his statement of “taking the backward step” from the Fukanzazengi are explored in the class series of the Sansuikyo. Through meditation, talks, discussion, we will investigate Dogen’s inspiring and poetic fascicle.

Widely considered to be one of the most poetic of the fascicles of the Shōbōgenzō, the text was written in 1240 in Koshorin-ji outside of Kyoto and presents an intricate, symbolic study of phenomenal existence and emptiness.  Known as an outstanding poet, metaphysician, and one of Japan’s leading spiritual figures, Dogen built his primary monastery, Eiheiji, deep in the mountains near the Nine-Headed Dragon River of Echizen Province. However, the mountains and rivers of Sansuikyo are not mountains and rivers of the poet, the naturalist, the hunter, the woodsman. They are the mountains and rivers of the Dharma realm.

Classes on March 15 & April 12, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., McGowan House.

Text: The Mountains and Waters Sutra, by Rev. Shohaku Okumura.  Robert Reese, a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, will lead the classes. Suggested donation is $15 per class. Information: (831) 920-8303.