September 12, 2020

 

 

Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani 

My traveling Kuan Yin came with me during 8 days of evacuation. She is a gift from one of my sisters, only 2 inches high, but helped me center myself in a time of great uncertainty.

 There's a chant called a dharani that I chanted each morning after zazen called the 'Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani' that is supposed to help avert disaster.  The way I've heard it done is to chant it three times with great energy, while the mokugyo* is beaten.

(*fish-drum, also used for the Heart Sutra)

-Kathleen Dickey

Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani  

NO MO SAM MAN DA MOTO NAN 

OHA RA CHI KOTO SHA SONO NAN 

TO JI TO EN GYA GYA GYA KI GYA KI UN NUN 

SHIFU RA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA 

CHISHU SA CHISHU SA CHISHU RI CHISHU RI 

SOHA JA SOHA JA SEN CHI GYA SHIRI E SOMO KO   

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Our ZHS on-line schedule

• Mondays: 7-8:30pm - zazen, short service, lecture/discussion
• Tuesdays-Fridays: 5:30-6:10pm - zazen, offering of merit/bows
• M-F: 7-7:30am - zazen
• Saturdays: 8:00-10:15am - zazen, short service, tea, discussion/study
• For more information:  www.zenheartsangha.org) 

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Special bows for today: 

• Please offer bows for all those at Ashland Zen Center whose families have lost their homes in the recent fires in Oregon
• Please offer bows for Takiko Kawakami, Fumiko Arao's mother who died 9/2/2020
• Please offer bows for Jacob Blake, shot and paralyzed in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and for the protesters shot and killed in Portland, OR last weekend
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for:   
• Phyllis Merrill, Misha's mother, who is dying
• Rev. Les Kaye, Misha’s Zen teacher, who is recovering at home undergoing chemotherapy

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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:

• Zen Heart Sangha website: resources about COVID-19: www.zenheartsangha.org
• From our dharma sister, Misha:  incredible graphics and information about COVID-19  https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/covid-19-coronavirus-infographic-datapack/
• From our dharma brother, Bill:  Buddhism in women's prisons:   https://tricycle.org/magazine/buddhism-in-womens-prisons/

• From our dharma sister, Nancy:  Spirituality and interconnectedness through time   https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/04/19/lynn-margulis-talking-on-the-water/
• From our dharma sister, Camille: an important commentary on race, riots and society to help us understand from Trevor Noah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
• If you would like to leave a comment on this blog: Here is a quick video on how to--it's from 2017, but should work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4RflO5Wgg
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Many thanks to those of you who are sending me articles to share, links to helpful information, and for making comments…it is a gift beyond measure. Please know that you can either leave a comment on the blog itself, or send something directly to me and I will be happy to paste it in.