ZEN STUDY WITH MUGAKU ROSHI - HONGZHI'S SILENT ILLUMINATION

Zen Study with Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Roshi: Origins of Zen
Hongzhi’s Silent Illumination
Tuesdays, April 9 – May 28, 2024 (7 classes)
6:30 – 7:30 pm MT via Zoom Conferencing
(5:30 pm PT/8:30 pm ET)

The 2024 Zen Study online course with Mugaku Roshi will travel our lineage’s path from China to Japan, from pre-Chan Taoism to Dogen Zenji. You are warmly invited to join the intimacy of weekly Zen study via Zoom in the company of your fellow practitioners.

In this seven-week series, we will read Cultivating the Empty Field: The Silent Illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi. Hongzhi was a 12th-century Chinese monk who played a major role in reviving the Caodong (Japanese Soto) lineage. Taigen Daniel Leighton’s excellent introductory essay puts Hongzhi in a historical and spiritual perspective. He points out that Dogen’s teaching of shikantaza derives in large part from Hongzhi’s approach to silent illumination. The practice instructions in this book strongly relate to the Taoist roots of Zen.

Why is this Zen Study Series Important?
Zen Study with Mugaku Roshi is the heart of the Steelyard Sangha’s practice. It is a beautiful opportunity to strengthen your meditation and study in a worldwide community of practitioners led by Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Roshi, a transmitted Zen teacher. The pulse of the Tuesday telecourse calls supports the continuity of our practice throughout the year. The program is a requirement for enrollment in some retreats and training with Mugaku Roshi.

Students & Recent Grads
Full-time undergraduate and graduate students and TAZ members under 30 may request half-price registration. Please CONTACT US for a registration link.