Thinking Like a Buddha: Diamond Sutra class, Sep 26 – Nov 21


Event Details

This event finished on 21 November 2019


Eight-week class led by Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan

Class dates: Thursdays 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/14 & 11/21
Class time: optional zazen from 6:30 to 7pm, class from 7:15 to 8:45pm


Like a cloud in an endless sky, like a lotus in muddy water, we live in the pure mind of Buddha.

– from the Sōto Zen Bodhisattva ordination ceremony.

The Diamond Sūtra is one of the most prominent texts in the Zen tradition, along with The Heart Sūtra. Its author and date of composition are uncertain but commentaries and translations exist from the early 5th century CE when it seemed to be a well-known part of the Prajñā Pāramitā literature of Mahāyāna Buddhism. The text of the Sūtra is the response of Shakyamuni Buddha to his student, Subhūti’s foundational question:  “On the bodhisattva path, how does one stand, walk, and produce a thought?” In other words, on the path to being Buddha, how does one embody and manifest Buddha? Buddha’s response has instructed his followers ever since.

In this class we will study the text line by line, looking at the original Sanskrit, and at the various ways it has been translated to bring forth the meaning of the Buddha’s response. And we will look at our own path of practice in the light of this core teaching of wisdom and compassion.

The class schedule is from 7:15 to 8:45 pm. Zazen takes place from 6:30 to 7pm; attending zazen is encouraged but not required.


Class fee:  $200 Sustaining / $150 Base / $110 for BZC members (more than 3 months)

To register, please click here. Please note that registration for this class closes October 3.

Please note our cancellation policy for this offering: To request a refund for this class, you must notify BZC in writing by the start of the first class. Refunds will be issued in the total paid less a $15 processing fee. Please note that there are no refunds for events with registration fees under $50. This policy supports the organizing effort involved in managing registrations and cancellations and the largely volunteer-based structure of the Brooklyn Zen Center. Please see our complete cancellation policy here.


About Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan

Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan received training in Soto Zen practice as a resident of San Francisco Zen Center for 12 years, was ordained as a priest in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2010, and served as head monk (shuso) in 2014. She has taught yoga in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1988, as well as co- leading Zen and Yoga retreats at Tassajara and Green Gulch Farm since 2002. Shokuchi is currently serving as Head of Practice (Tanto) at the Brooklyn Zen Center.

 

 


Access Notes: There is one short flight of stairs leading to the Carroll Street entrance of the building; please press 3-0 to be buzzed in. From there, the center is located at the top of a longer flight of stairs. A ramp and elevator are available via an alternate entrance on President Street; please email us in advance if you need access to the ramp. Chairs, benches, and extra support cushions are available. We are not yet a fragrance-free space; our hand soap is scented with essential oils. Visit our Accessibility Page for more detailed access info. If you have any additional questions about accessibility, please contact us at info@brooklynzen.org.