ZPI encourages reflections from retreats participants, staff, members & others touched by our work & others doing similar work from around the world, as part of the practice of bearing witness, to share their personal reflections, stories, and responses to the teachings behind the Three Tenants & Bernie Glassman’s legacy. Anne Seisen Saunders, Abbot from Sweetwater Zen Center, shares her praise for Eve Marko & Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao’s recent publication « Book of Household Koans- Waking up in the land of attachments« .
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA. “This beautiful book is an important resource for Zen in our time. This collection opens our eyes to the koan of our life right now. Easy and fun to read, the householder koans are not just for Zen students, but relatable for all. Maezumi Roshi would encourage his students to study the ancient texts, and then he would say ‘I want you to create the modern Shobogenzo (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye).’ Reading the householder koans, I felt that I was encountering a fresh expression of true dharma that maintains the spiritual rigor of old texts. I love these new koans. I love how the layout is reminiscent of traditional koan presentation with verses and comments. And I love how relevant these koans are for our time. The authors are encouraging all of us to create our own householder koans, and I am finding myself seeing koan everywhere. It is a lot of fun and encourages me to see my whole life as spiritual practice. Congratulations to the authors for creating a seminal work. It is a gift for everyone who wants to deepen their appreciation of life.”
—Anne Seisen Saunders, Abbot, Sweetwater Zen Center; President, White Plum Asanga
On March 19th, 2020 ZPI will be hosting a Q&A Zoom Call with authors Eve Marko and Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao on their recent publication. All who might be interested in engaging in this discussion are welcome to register on out HIVE platform to join for free.
Seisen is the Abbot and head teacher of Sweetwater Zen Center. She has been practicing and teaching Zen Buddhism for nearly 20 years.
Seisen is a student of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi and a Dharma successor of Bernie Tetsugen Glassman, Roshi, cofounder of the Greyston Mandala and the Zen Peacemaker Order.
The founding of SWZC marks Seisen’s return to San Diego. Before coming to Zen practice Seisen attended UC Berkeley and then later went to UCSD, where she worked as a biochemist. Establishing SWZC is the unfolding of her vision for an urban residential Zen practice community.
