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  • Summer Practice Period with Teah – The Platform Sutra

    Published April 19th, 2010

    As many of you know, Brooklyn Zen Center’s  guiding teacher, Teah Strozer, will be visiting from San Francisco to lead a three week-long practice intensive that will include teaching throughout and a five day sesshin. Teah will be here from June 22nd through July 14th. The five day sesshin will begin Tuesday evening, July 7th, and end Sunday afternoon, July 11th.

    During this time those participating in the practice period will be studying the The Platform Sutra together. Teah has asked that those participating read the sutra beforehand and be prepared for further study and discussion. She will also be meeting weekly with those taking part in the practice period who wish to meet with her.

    A note from Teah:

    Hui-neng (Daikan Eno in Japanese) is one of the seminal teachers of our lineage and the sixth ancestor of our school. All of the five Great Houses of Zen come from him and his teaching. He is central to the understanding of our practice.

    He teaches that intimacy with the truth, based on direct insight into the essential nature of awareness is the fundamental. There is no need for ‘steps and stages’.

    We’ll study his masterpiece ‘The Platform Sutra’ together. The Thomas Cleary translation is called The Sutra of Hui-neng. You may choose to read a different translation if you’d like. Please be prepared to discuss main points – whatever they appear to be to you.

    As always during the time we’re together I expect you to have a daily sitting practice and to join the community as much as you are able given your busy schedules. We will offer classes in the text, discussion, sesshin, talks, sewing class, and other community activities. Everyone is welcome.

    Copies of The Sutra of Hui-neng by Thomas Cleary can be found at Shambhala Publications and most other online book outlets. We look forward to Teah’s arrival and practicing together with her!

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