The Zoom link to participate in this event will be provided at least 24 hours before it begins. Please call 415-354-0360 if you have any questions.
Three 90-minute Sessions, Friday, January 29–Saturday, January 30
Should I leave this burning house
of ceaseless thought
and taste the pure rain’s
single truth
falling upon my skin?
—Izumi Shikibu
Poetry has long been a means to express the Dharma because it helps us step outside analysis into a world of intuitive knowing. Izumi Shikibu, a celebrated poet of Japan’s Heian court, wrote brief and elegant poems that are shining examples of this form of Buddhist heritage.
In her poetry, we find references to key Buddhist texts such as the Lotus Sutra and the Dhammapada, as well as reflections on fundamental Dharma concepts such as clinging and wisdom. Join us for an immersion into the depths of Japanese Dharma poetry.
Drawing on poems from Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu, Women of the Ancient Court of Japan, translated by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani, this three-session online workshop explores Izumi Shikibu’s poetry as a living expression of Buddhist practice.
Each 90-minute session will include 15 minutes of meditation, a 40-minute spontaneous Dharma talk, and time for questions and comments. Across the weekend, the sessions move from living within the truth, through clinging and impermanence, to the wisdom that shines within ordinary life.
Session 1: Living Within the Truth
Friday, January 29, 5:30–7:00 pm PT
Session 2: Clinging to a Floating World
Saturday, January 30, 8:00–9:30 am PT
Session 3: Wisdom Shines Even Here
Saturday, January 30, 11:00 am–12:30 pm PT
Readings
- Selected poems from Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu, Women of the Ancient Court of Japan, translated by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani
- Lotus Sutra, Burton Watson translation, excerpts from pages 44–45, 56–59, and 98
- Connected Discourses 22.100
- “Zen Teachings in Challenging Times,” an article by Dhammadīpā based on case 23 of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate)
- Dhammapada, verses 153–154eive temporary access to the recordings for later viewing.
Recordings:
All course sessions will be recorded, and registered participants will receive temporary access to the recordings for later viewing.
- Benefactor Ticket Price: $158 — supports others’ participation
- Standard ticket price: $126 — covers full program costs
- Member (Become an SFZC Member): $113 — for current SFZC members
- Supported: $76 — community supported rate
- Deeply Supported: $32 — for broadest accessibility
- Current SFZC residents and qualified SFZC retirees may attend this course for free. To register, please email onlineprograms@sfzc.org at least 72 hours before the program begins.
Or call 415-354-0360.
