Teisho: Valerie Forstman: Layman Pang’s Snowflakes - February 15, 2024

Valerie begins by reminding us of the wide reach of our practice. While there are innumerable expressions, there is but one fact. According to Dogen, we may have only an inkling, but our continuous practice touches and affects everything. Keeping with the theme of snowflakes (recall Haryo’s silver bowl filling with snow) we are presented with case 42 of the Blue Cliff Record or Hekigonroku, “Layman Pang’s Beautiful Snowflakes.” A couple of slaps, sharp surprise, and a snowball thrown across the centuries leave us perplexed or perhaps amused. It is not a problem to not understand. “The snowflakes don’t fall on any other place.” And finally, this from Dogen, “If you attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment, all sentient beings also attain it. The reason is that all sentient beings are aspects of enlightenment.


Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a member so we can continue to provide online programs such as this.

Donations: https://www.mountaincloud.org/donate/

Become a member: https://www.mountaincloud.org/about/m...

Check out our website: https://www.mountaincloud.org/

All are welcome to join us for sitting and dharma talks. Use this link to join us: https://sit.mountaincloud.org