This will be the fourth construct we have used as a model or framework for looking at/into Zen. As a reminder these constructs are upaya (skillful means), or ways to frame Zen for teaching purposes. As all words are constructs but not all constructs are words, we have to expand our meaning of framing.
So look at each sense as framing material: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking. Words depict which senses to implore ( i.e. tuning about the smell of coffee) is a type of association. So does seeing (points of view), hearing (getting what you said), tasting (textures, temperature, spicy-bland, good-bad) touching (smooth-rough) smelling (full-faint, good-bad), and thinking (positive-neutral-negative).
The impact of Zen in Japan has been not simply personal, or social, but cultural as well. https://www.zen-buddhism.net/zen-and-arts/#:~:text=All%20Japanese%20art%20forms%2C%20such,simplicity%2C%20and%20self%2Dgrowth.
Paul Reps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Reps, Was an American caught in the artist style of post WWI painters. Having lived for many years in Japan, Reps’ was drawn to simplicity and impact, best symbolized by The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hakusai in 1831: https://medium.com/@nasyavinalifia/the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-finding-philosophical-meaning-through-a-painting-76412050ea1d#:~:text=The%20Great%20Wave%20off%20Kanagawa%20also%20depicts%20a%20life%20journey,other%20bigger%20problems%2C%20and%20difficulties.
So Tuesday night we’ll explore the upaya approach of Paul Reps in the small book: Zen Telegrams: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://terebess.hu/keletkultinfo/zen_telegrams.pdf
Here is how it will work:
Look through the attached pdf above
Find three poems that resonate
Determine the “teaching: it elicits from you
Write your own Reps-haiku-like response
Tell us about your experience
I look forward to seeing you in person at the First Congregational Church or Falmouth in the Church Parlor (2nd floor, hall on the right and last door on the left) or via Zoom:
If you are new come on Zoom at arrive at the Parlor at 6:30 or we can chat. The service is 7-8:45 PM/ET
108 Bows
Sangaku
Unshin Sangaku Dan Joslyn-sensei
Founder and Guiding Teacher
Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha
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