Poisonous Virtues and Virtuous Poisons: Life-Death and Being-Time

Sunday September 29 – Sunday December 22, 2024

“There are two tragedies in life,” George Bernard Shaw once said, “One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.” Of course, Shakyamuni Buddha said much the same thing twenty-five centuries earlier, when he identified the root cause of dukkha—our dissatisfaction and alienation—as tanha, the craving that gives rise to all the myriad shades of anxiety, fear, greed, anger and ignorance. Perhaps you have felt this way at times during this election season?

Zen study and practice offer the means for cutting through attachment and awakening to the true nature of reality. In this course, we will explore these central themes, attachment and awakening, using the Tibetan mind-training practice of Lojong, selected writings of Dogen Eihei Zenji, and selected koans from the Mumonkan and Hekiganroku. Each class will include brief meditation periods, dharma talks by Hokuto Osho, and class discussion, with recommendations to guide individual practice between classes.

This online course will be held over eight Sundays at 4 pm, beginning on Sunday, September 29. Each class will last approximately 90 minutes. Class will not be held during Zen Studies sesshin on 10/6, 10/27, 11/3, 12/1, and 12/8. The last class will take place on December 22.  The deadline for registration is September 28.

The fee is for the course is $150 for Zen Studies Society Supporting Members, $175 for non-members, and $50 for those who are ordained. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of ZSS.  No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact info@zenstudies.org for support. A suggested reading list will be provided upon registration.