Class

ZEN! History, Teachings, Practices (Sept 23–Nov 25)

Recurrent

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location
Online
Description

ZEN! History, Teachings, Practices
10 Class sessions: Tuesdays September 23 through November 25, 7:00–8:30 PM ET
Class meetings will be online on Zoom.
Registration by 9/21 | Pricing requests by 9/14

Where does Zen come from? How did it arise? What stories have we inherited, and which are myth versus history? What are the different forms of Zen? What are their teachings and practices? What do they share and how are they distinct?

In this class, we will enter into a conversation about the historical development of Zen in China, Korea and Japan, exploring both traditional mythological narratives and recent academic findings, seeking a middle way that honors myth as myth while embracing the complex historical reality.
This exploration may challenge some common assumptions: that Zen was a “special transmission” separate from other Buddhist traditions, that Bodhidharma literally brought Zen from India, or that early Zen focused heavily on meditation instruction. Instead, we’ll discover Zen as one rich thread in the diverse tapestry of East Asian Buddhism.

 

Want to learn more about the instructor’s approach?
Read this interview with Charlie Sensei about his approach to Zen practice and teaching.

 

Image: Portrait of Bodhidharma Hakuin Ekaku, Japanese mid-18th century, scroll ink brush painting, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Class Outline

Week 1 – Sources of Zen: Indian Buddhism and Chinese Culture
Week 2 – Mythical Chan and Proto-Chan: First Five Ancestors
Week 3 – Early Chan: Buddha-Nature in The Platform Sutra
Week 4 – Classical Chan: Awakening in Intimate Dialogue
Week 5 – Song Dynasty Chan: Soto-Rinzai Divergence
Week 6 – Seon (Zen) in Korea: Zen Plays Out in a New Context
Week 7 – Dogen and Soto-Zen: Practice-Realization
Week 8 – Development of Soto Zen: Spread, Growth, Reform
Week 9 – Rinzai Zen: Ways to Enter a Koan
Week 10 – Zen in the West: What Are We Doing Here?

Students are encouraged to purchase Barbara O’Brien’s “The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World.”

Other readings will be available as PDFs.

Instructor

Charlie Korin Pokorny (he/they) grew up in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago. Charlie received a masters in religious studies, focusing on Zen, from Stanford in 1994. He has been teaching graduate courses at the Institute of Buddhist Studies since 2011, including classes on Buddhist thought, history and practice, with a focus on traditions of East Asia and especially Zen. Charlie was ordained as a priest by Reb Anderson in 1999 and received dharma transmission in 2018. He practiced as a resident at Tassajara and Green Gulch Farm and studied koans with Daniel Terragno. Together with his wife, Sarah Emerson, they served as head priests at Stone Creek Zen Center 2014-2022. They were then invited to become teachers at the Brooklyn Zen Center and moved with their children to Brooklyn in 2022.

Registration ends September 21 (11:59 PM ET). Registrants will receive a zoom link for the class. Requests for pricing exemptions are due September 14 (11:59 PM ET). No one is turned away for lack of funds – see “Equitable Pricing Information” below.

 


Equitable Pricing Information

At BZC, we are committed to making our classes, workshops, and retreats accessible to all. To support this, we offer an equitable pricing model based on a sliding scale, reflecting our intention to move towards equity within our sangha and acknowledge historical contexts of wealth.

Determining Your Rate: Please refer to our Equitable Pricing Model to find the registration rate that best fits your circumstances.

Financial Assistance: No one will be turned away due to financial constraints. If you are unable to pay the lowest rate, please use this form to request a pricing exemption. Note that exemption requests are due at least one week prior to the event start date unless stated otherwise.

Questions? If you have any questions or concerns about registration, please contact us at info@brooklynzen.org.

 


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Donations

BZC relies on donations to sustain its spaces, teachers, and staff. Make a gift on our website, via PayPal through paypal@brooklynzen.org or Venmo. You can also support a dharma teacher or practice leader here. Or, consider becoming a Member to support us year-round!

Fee
$375 - $600
Questions?
info@brooklynzen.org

To request a refund for this program you must notify BZC in writing at least 2 days before the beginning of the program. This supports the organizing effort involved in managing registrations and cancellations.

ZEN! History, Teachings, Practices (Sept 23–Nov 25)
Register