Jaime Heiku McLeod

Dizang asked Xuishan, “Where do you come from” Xuishan said, “From the South.” Dizang said, “How is Buddhism in the South these days?” Xiushan said, “There’s extensive discussion.” Dizang said, “How can that compare to me here planting the fields and making rice to eat.” Xiushan said, “What can you do about the world?” Dizang…

Book of Serenity, Case 94 When Dongshan was unwell, a monk asked, “You are ill, teacher, but is there anyone who is not ill?”  Dongshan said, “There is.” The monk said, “Does the one who is not ill look after you?” Dongshan said, “I have the opportunity to look after him.” The monk said, “How…

I don’t know about any of you, but for me, the last several months have felt like a particularly bad time to be a human being. It seems like every day there’s some new horror making headlines. Mass shootings, which seemed too frequent when they occurred once every couple of years, have literally become a…

Chiyono was a servant in a Zen convent who wanted to practice zazen. One day she approached an elderly nun and said, “I’m of humble birth. I can’t read or write and must work all the time. Is there any possibility that I could attain the way of Buddha even though I have no skills?”…

Blue Cliff Record, Case 5 Hsueh-feng, teaching his community, said: Pick up the whole great earth in your fingers and it’s as big as a grain of rice. Throw it down before you. It’s like looking into a black lacquer bucket. You can’t find it anywhere. Beat the drum. Call everyone to look for it.…

Art by Mark Morse Gateless Gate, Case 41 Bodhidharma sat facing the wall. The Second Patriarch stood in the snow. He cut off his arm and presented it to Bodhidharma, crying, “My mind has no peace as yet! I beg you, master, please pacify my mind!” “Bring your mind here and I will pacify it for…

Book of Serenity, Case 20 Fayan was going on pilgrimage. Dizang said, “Where are you going?” Fayan said, “Around on pilgrimage.” Dizang said, “What is the purpose of pilgrimage?” Fayan said: “I don’t know.” Dizang said, “Not knowing is most intimate.” Anyone who’s ever spent a lot of time with small children has likely played…

Blue Cliff Record, Case 48 When Minister Wang entered Chao Ch’ing, they were making tea. At the time Elder Lang was holding the kettle for Ming Chao. Lang turned the tea kettle over. Seeing this, the Minister asked the Elder, “What’s under the tea stove?”  Lang said, “The spirit who holds up stoves.”  The Minister…