Purpose

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Founded in 2010, The Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha's purpose is to help reduce the suffering in our selves and others. We are an affiliate sangha of the Silent Thunder Order (STO), a 501c3 non-profit organization, and support its mission. The lineage is through Soyu Zengaku Matsuoka-Roshi who came to America in 1939.

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Priest

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​Unshin Sangaku Dan Joslyn, STO Novice Priest, and Practice Leader follows the ethical standards of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association (SZBA). Sensei (Japanese for teacher and used to address a Priest) also works in drug and alcohol counseling and engaging senior citizens in learning meditation. He is available to speak on the history of Buddhism and Zen and their role in everyday life.

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Services

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We Meet Tuesday Nights 6:30 (newcomers) and

7:00-8:30 Service at the Unitarian Universalist 

Fellowship of Falmouth located at 840 Old

Sandwich Rd, East Falmouth, 02536 

• Orientation for New Comers

• Zazen Meditation 

• Kinhin Walking Meditation

• Tea

• Dharma Talk Themes (Discussions on the Dharma Teachings)

  • 1st Tuesday Talk on Classic Teachings

  • 2nd Tuesday Talk Zen in Everyday Life

  • 3rd Tuesday Talk: Open Discussion

  • 4th Tuesday Talk: Classic Teachings and or Guest

  • 5th Tuesday Talk: Teachings of Master Dogen

Morning Beach sitting Milepost # 2, Shining-Path bikeway, 6:30-7:15 Tuesdays  (April-November) 

Buddhism Book Bunch (BBB) monthly book reviews (none in December, June, July, or August)

Multi-day Retreats (Sesshin) and/or one-day retreats (Zazenkai) are held quarterly in April, June, October, and December. 

Meditation for Seniors is held each Tuesday morning from 10-11, at the Falmouth Senior Center 300 Dillingham Ave. Falmouth. 

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Schedule for January:

 Dharma Talk: January 28, 2020

"Upaya Zen Center: An Overview Mokuyo-san

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    Questions and Comments Welcome

Latest Dharma Notes

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        Your Financial Support is Most Welcome

Congratulations to Inmo Joe LaBrecque, 

and Katto Garth Smelser for Taking Vows-Jukai

Our book current book is Hidden Lamp

Please read five koans and commentaries each month. We then talk about 2-3 the last Sunday of

the even-numbered month.

Email me for details 

                                   Soto Zen Buddhism and The Silent Thunder Order

                                                                    

The Silent Thunder Order (STO) derives its name from “Moku-rai,” a Japanese term often used by our founding teacher, Rev. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi. It means “silence is thunder.” This is a very important expression of Zen philosophy, representing the resolution of conceptual opposites into an integrated whole.

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The STO’s Founder is Zenkai Taiun Elliston-roshi, a fully transmitted Soto Zen Priest. Elliston-roshi was ordained by Matsuoka-roshi as well as by Shohaku Okumura-roshi. As such, he is the sole living representative of the Matsuoka lineage, and holds dharma transmission from the Uchiyama lineage, with Seirin Barbara Kohn as his Preceptor from the Suzuki line. STO is thus the beneficiary of the heritage of all three lineages.

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Elliston-roshi, dharma heir and successor of Matsuoka-roshi and Okumura-roshi, currently leads over sixty senior students in the US, Canada, Africa, and Europe. His initial ordination took place over 30 years ago, at the Chicago Zen Buddhist Temple, which just passed its 60th anniversary in continuous operation. Roshi has also reached out to first-generation students of Matsuoka-roshi, offering a practice path to formal recognition. As Abbot, Elliston-roshi heads the Order and is its guiding teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. [Note: “Roshi” is a title designating a senior transmitted Priest.] 

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