The Melbourne Zen Group is based in Brunswick East, Melbourne, Australia. Our meditation meetings, retreats and workshops are open to both members and non-members.
Great Vows Sesshin
The Melbourne Zen Group presents a 7 day meditation retreat led by
Subhana Barzaghi, Roshi
assisted by Wayne Rankin
8th – 15th November 2019
The four Bodhisattva vows, recited at every Zen gathering or ceremony, set forth the fundamental aspiration of our Zen practice – that all beings may be liberated.
The many beings are numberless, I vow to save them. On the cushion, this first vow is a matter to be realised for oneself, as oneself. But it is also a matter to be taken up practically, in the world. Right now, with our earth household under threat and with extinctions occurring rapidly, how can I usefully manifest the wisdom and compassion of the Bodhisattva to protect humans and non-humans alike? The next three vows follow naturally. How to abandon the greed, hatred, and ignorance that are at the root of today’s crisis? How to be awake to the Dharma at any given time? How can this body act as the Buddha? Sitting sesshin immersed in the beauty of the natural world, the fact of “world as self” is clear. May we do our deep work here and carry it across, each of us in our own inimitably unique way!
Sitting quietly
doing nothing,
Spring comes,
the grass grows by itself.
– Basho
Traditional sesshin offers countless opportunities for practice – zazen, walking meditation in the bush, interviews with a teacher, dharma talks, sutra chanting and work practice. Old timers and new students are all welcome.
As traditional Zen sesshin involves seven or eight hours a day of zazen – sitting meditation – if you are new to Zen practice and wish to attend, please talk with us about an orientation and support.
Venue: Kallara Retreat Centre – Strathbogie Ranges, near Euroa.
Info & online booking: Online booking form.
Inquiries: Peter Tiernan at mzgbooking@gmail.com
Dharma talk with Kirk Fisher.
Apprentice teacher Kirk Fisher gave this talk, title Hope and Fear, at our Autumn Sesshin (7 day retreat) this year. He opens the talk with a question, how do we live beyond hope and fear in a crazed world?
Listen below.
