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Diamond Sutra Recitation
Jan
1
1:00 PM13:00

Diamond Sutra Recitation

This will be both in person and on zoom. We will be joined by the Arcata Zen Group.

Here is the translation we will use.
(
Diamond Sutra, English, Price & Wong).

Maybe when we first come to practice we thought some miracle would happen. The miracle actually is coming to practice; we still have to do the work of cutting through delusion. The Diamond Sutra gives very clear teaching for this, and it is especially clear when read aloud continuously in one sitting.

Here is a quote from Red Pine’s book on the Diamond Sutra.  The context is a verse talking about the perfection of forbearance. 

“The Buddha is concerned that Subhuti’s understand of this teaching begins and ends with prajna (wisdom).  But prajna does not exist in isolation and cannot be practiced without practicing the other perfections. In this sutra, the Buddha focuses on three of the Six Perfections, namely, those that counteract the Three Poisons:  the perfection of charity, which counteracts the poison of desire, the perfection of wisdom, which destroys the poison of delusion, and the perfection of forbearance, which eliminates the poison of anger.  Although this sutra only mentions these three by name, each is closely related to the other perfections:  Charity with morality, forbearance with vigor, and wisdom with meditation. Thus, by focusing on these three, the sutra provides instruction in all six.  The reason the Buddha mentions forbearance here (in this chapter) is that without it, bodhisattvas will not be able to endure what is the most traumatic teaching they will ever experience or know.”

This sutra takes about an hour and a half to read straight through. Gene will facilitate this gathering of Santa Cruz and Arcata people, inviting participants one at a time to read aloud a section; others, while muted, will read along in their homes. We will open with brief introductions and an orientation to the event, then just read, closing with an appropriate dedication.

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New Year's Eve Celebration
Dec
31
to Jan 1

New Year's Eve Celebration

Schedule - Use the usual sczc zoom

8:30 Zazen
9:10 Kinhin
9:20 Zazen
9:50 Kinhin/Rest
10:10 Zazen
10:40 Kinhin
10:50 Zazen
11:20 Kinhin
11:30 Zazen and Bell Ringing

Midnight Zoom Fire Ceremony


See this information on a simultaneous interfaith peace vigil:

A Virtual Event: Chants, Prayers, Meditation, and Music

Friday, December 31, 2021 7:30-9:15 pm

Please join us for speakers from the local Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Indigenous, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh faith communities.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84606443323?pwd=YXRud0I5UG80ZWVwV1pNNjFOOURGZz09 Meeting ID: 846 0644 3323
Passcode: 508659
Sponsored by Sangha Shantivanam www.sanghashanti.net

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Annual Winter Closure
Dec
24
to Dec 31

Annual Winter Closure

We will observe our annual closure, including online events this year, starting after the last morning zazen of the year on December 24 until the beginning of the New Year’s Eve sitting.

At 8:30 p.m. New Year's Eve we will start a sitting until midnight on zoom, followed by a virtual fire ceremony.

New Year's Day 1:00 p.m. will be a recitation of the diamond sutra. This will be both in person and on zoom. We will be joined by the Arcata Zen Group.

Our regular sitting schedule will resume Monday morning, January 3rd.

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Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers:  Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field
Dec
19
6:40 PM18:40

Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers: Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field

Five classes: Sundays 10/17, 10/24, 11/14, 11/21, and 12/19, 6:40-8 p.m. via Zoom

Looking North, East, South and West we will take up the little-explored Esoteric teachings of Zen that originated before the Buddha and are hidden in plain sight throughout our everyday practice.

More Information and RSVP

-All SCZC online events are at: https://zoom.us/j/2951668406
-Zoom meeting ID: 295 166 8406, password 753
-To connect by phone, call 1 (669) 900-6833 and enter the above meeting ID and password at the prompts.

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Shosan Ceremony
Dec
15
6:35 PM18:35

Shosan Ceremony

All are welcome to ask their Zen questions of Reverend Eugene Bush and Reverend Patrick Teverbaugh.

What is Shosan?

This dharma inquiry ceremony, often done at the culmination of Practice Period, is a tradition in Zen temples around the world. In this SCZC shosan via zoom, practitioners will signal the teacher(s), put their hands in gassho and ask a question related to their practice then receive a response from Patrick or Gene. Together we nourish the Dharma by engaging in this heart to heart encounter.

This ceremony will occur in place of the usual Wednesday evening zoom lecture on Dec. 15, and will mark the closing of Practice Period 2021.

-Join at: https://zoom.us/j/2951668406
-Zoom meeting ID 295 166 8406, password 753
-
To connect by phone, call 1 (669) 900-6833 and enter the meeting ID and password.

JOIN NOW

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Buddha's Enlightenment Ceremony
Dec
8
6:35 PM18:35

Buddha's Enlightenment Ceremony

During the time of regular evening lecture, we will have in-person and Zoom Buddhism enlightenment ceremony. All are welcome to attend outdoors with masked chanting. It will also be filmed on zoom.

Four Scenes from the Life of the Buddha - Enlightenment - Kushan dynasty, late 2nd to early 3rd century AD, Gandhara. Exhibit in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA. This artwork is old enough so that it is in the public domain. Photography was permitted in the museum without restriction.

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Thanksgiving Closure
Nov
25
to Nov 28

Thanksgiving Closure

  • Google Calendar ICS

The Zen Center will interrupt our daily sitting schedule during the long Thanksgiving weekend. We will sit on the morning of Thanksgiving, November 25, and then reopen again the following Monday morning, November 29. May we all use this time to celebrate gratitude and loving kindness.

OIP.jpg
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Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers:  Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field
Nov
21
6:40 PM18:40

Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers: Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field

Five classes: Sundays 10/17, 10/24, 11/14, 11/21, and 12/19, 6:40-8 p.m. via Zoom

Looking North, East, South and West we will take up the little-explored Esoteric teachings of Zen that originated before the Buddha and are hidden in plain sight throughout our everyday practice.

More Information and RSVP

-All SCZC online events are at: https://zoom.us/j/2951668406
-Zoom meeting ID: 295 166 8406, password 753
-To connect by phone, call 1 (669) 900-6833 and enter the above meeting ID and password at the prompts.

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Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers:  Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field
Nov
14
6:40 PM18:40

Calling all Turtles, Dragons, Phoenix Birds, and Tigers: Let’s Play Together in the Empty Dharma Field

Five classes: Sundays 10/17, 10/24, 11/14, 11/21, and 12/19, 6:40-8 p.m. via Zoom

Looking North, East, South and West we will take up the little-explored Esoteric teachings of Zen that originated before the Buddha and are hidden in plain sight throughout our everyday practice.

More Information and RSVP

-All SCZC online events are at: https://zoom.us/j/2951668406
-Zoom meeting ID: 295 166 8406, password 753
-To connect by phone, call 1 (669) 900-6833 and enter the above meeting ID and password at the prompts.

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