New Program on FRENCH Television – Buddhist Wisdom – With Guy Mokuho
Mokuho talks about Project Gendronniere 2035 at the annual conference of European Soto Zen Teachers .
Letter to a friend
Dear Fabien,
You suddenly disappeared into invisibility, and that took us all by surprise.
At 11:00 on Tuesday morning, I exchanged a friendly text message with you.
You told me we’d be seeing you again soon at La Gendronnière.
On Tuesday evening, your light was blown out by impermanence,
like a candle swept away by a sudden gust of wind.
If that’s your rather abrupt way of teaching us about impermanence,
you who would have had great difficulty explaining it to us in words,
well, you’ve succeeded.
Radical as well as spontaneous.
There will always be someone like you to provoke us
and make us think about life, suffering and inequality.
I met you at La Gendronnière in ’92.
You were a good companion on the Way.
At the time, we were swamped with major roadworks and upgrades.
You drove the tractor through the forest, as wild as it was,
a gruff companion to disturb the over-mannered spirits
and prune superfluous reverence.
Sometimes lost in the fog of your thoughts,
or tinkering with useless things, walking in the hills,
you’ve never stopped letting your creativity flow,
a bit of a tramp, a bit of a genius,
a provocateur with an eye for the stars as much as for the battle of ideas.
After our adventure in Lanau, you had just retired
and you were still full of projects, interests, dreams and perspectives.
And now it’s all fading away so that at last, rather than as expected,
comes the time for rest, silence and non-action,
So don’t stop at death, and keep going,
sitting up straight, motionless in your new space of light
letting yourself be absorbed by the silence.
In any case, it’s always straight ahead.
And don’t worry!
Each of us also goes towards our death, which awaits us a little further on.
We never leave each other, with or without this ephemeral body,
in which the truth of being is revealed.
Death does not extinguish the silent and eternal Presence.
It does not extinguish what we have experienced together.
It does not extinguish your smiling face that returns to our minds
every time we think of you.
Death does not extinguish anything.
We never stop seeing each other in spirit.
We share everything there.
Our hearts go out to your two boys and their mother,
to all those you have loved, who have accompanied you and who have shared
your joys and your sorrows.
We are overwhelmed by sadness.
Let it resonate just for you, today, in our mouths,
the sutra of Great Wisdom.
You join her in the sad sweetness of our friendship.
May our song encourage all the Buddhas to come and take part in our ceremony.
You are already one of them for immeasurable periods of time.
We wish you a safe journey to Nirvana.
Guy Mokuho
The dedication of the ceremony we are holding for you says it all:
Now we remember past times
Time passes quickly, death follows life
And when that moment arrives, it strikes like lightning.
But when that moment has passed, the waves calm down again.
Today, for you, Fabien, the causes and conditions of existence have come to an end.
We understand the impermanence of all things,
and that this death signifies entry into Nirvana.
In front of this coffin, we invite all his family, friends and loved ones
to offer this ceremony to the glory of all the Buddhas and all enlightened beings.
May the merits of the Great Wisdom sutra be offered to you, Fabien,
and accompany you on the road to satori.
A new book of kusen by Guy Mokuhō is now available! (in French)
ŌGU 2: Donner, Recevoir, Transmettre
Livret 6 de Guy Mokuhō
(OGU 2: Giving, Receiving, Transmitting – Guy Mokuhō’s 6th book)
For more information and to order!
The Making of Zoom Zazen
By Pierre Dutheil
As a close disciple of Guy Mokuho Mercier (less than 150 km), I was moved to offer myself thinking that for this connection, there would be sounds to resonate or possibly other help to provide.
Actually no, everything was perfectly organized and simplified on site in Lanau. Many thanks to the shadow actor(s) who made this possible. I was therefore the only “in person” listener.
The temperature wasn’t very high either at 8:30 a.m. From around 10am the time of Guy Mokuho’s start, a low late autumn sun, perhaps sensing the event, had been pouring into the dojo for a while. The temperature had doubled and was now very accommodating. The wood of the wall in front of me had taken on the color of honey, resplendent, the straw of the tatami a soft, warm color. Since summer has ended, these moments will become rare and precious in Lanau. Then the voice was raised…
Guy Mokuho was concerned neither by the emptiness of the dojo nor by the fullness of the telephone. Concentrated, he talked about Keisan, patiently, intimately, about the great liberation that “Seeing deepoing into everyday events” provides. It’s so simple, so true, so powerful.
It is very difficult for me to express how happy I was to practice with all of you, all alone on my zafu. I think many of you felt it too. I still wanted to share the image of the deep gassho that Master Guy Mokuho Mercier sent to all of you, the practitioners of the virtual dojo that morning.
P.S. This is the first time I saw a Zen master doing gassho in front of a mobile phone…
The 6th Paramita – The Virtue of Perfection of Great Wisdom
Click Here to View The Full Article
Extract:
It is called Prajnāpāramitā « The bodhisattvas, since the appearance of the mind of Awakening, seek the Knowledge of all aspects in the course of which they know the true characteristics of the dharmas (of both phenomena and also beings.) This wisdom is the Prajnaparamita. Maka Hannya in Japanese. The only true virtue is wisdom obtained by the Buddha. But because of this virtue, the efforts of the bodhisattvas are also called virtues, as the effect is included in the cause (the fact of mobilising the mind of awakening leads the bodhisattva automatically to the realisation of the Great Wisdom, sooner or later.) …
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Tenboring Flash News Special Number 7 – 21 June 2020
To the members of Tenborin … hello everyone!
This newsletter, whose topic is the dana paramita puts an end to the teachings I have been doing during these months of lockdown, in order to try to continue and deepen the practice of the Way of the Buddha.
The 6th paramita is wisdom ; the Great Wisdom !
This is going to be approached as a teisho, and form the basis of kusen and teachings during the July session ; then you will all receive these teachings by mail.
Dana is giving
At the end of the lockdown when poor economic conditions have been the lot for all, many companies and associations are asking for financial support from their members. Of course you are welcome to help the Tenborin association and the zen Centre of Lanau with a donation, and we would be so grateful !
But the best help is to come and practise in Lanau to reinforce the practice and relatinoships with all the members of the sangha ; no doubt we’ll be able to share great summer sesshins in the most favorable conditions.
See you soon then
With my best regards and friendship
Guy Mokuho
Click here for the complete article
Dear friends of Tenbôrin,
After this period of lockdown when all the activities of the sangha were suspended, we’ll be happy to meet you again for the summer sesshin. Unless otherwise decided by the government, we’ll be able to organise sessions in July and August. The zen centre of Lanau is particularly well adapted to welcome you in the best conditions.
As indeed we have rooms with independent bathroom and toilets ; and this year exceptionally, we have decided that rooms will be assigned to people individually or to couples.
The centre is large enough to make it possible to maintain perfectly all rules of social distancing, so you’ll be able to benefit safely from your practise, the teachings and the nature around.
However, we have to restrict the number of participants, and we suggest you sign up as soon as possible, clicking on the following link.
We are looking forward to seeing you again and practising together.
Guy Mokuho and the Tenborin Team
Dear Friends of Tenborin,
You regularly receive our Tenboring newsletter. Teachings on paramitas are probably a little too long. If you cannot read them now, please download them and keep them for later.
The situation is rather confusing in France and it is probably the same in England.
We do not know yet how and when we will be allowed to organise the July and August sessions in Lanau.
Tenborin committee members meet regularly to be ready to adapt to circumstances. Lanau building is spacious enough and we have many rooms and it will be rather easy to follow the health and safety rules. Maybe the July session will be postponed.
We keep being positive with the idea of seeing you soon.
Keep up your morale,
With friendly thoughts
Guy Mokuho
