Zen master

[bell rings] The following Dharma talk was given at Boundless Way Zen Temple in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Zen Master Matsu, a ninth century Chinese Zen master, said, "Each matter you encounter constitutes the meaning of your existence, and your actions are without hindrance." Each matter you encounter constitutes the meaning of your existence, and your actions are without hindrance.

So in this, uh, portion of our practice, we'll, uh, stay in our zazen posture, uh, to receive this, uh, Dharma talk.

Uh, uh, me, uh, talking about, uh, this path, this path of Zen.

Uh, all of us, uh, this evening or, uh, whenever you're listening have, uh, chosen in some way, uh, uh, to turn in this direction.

Uh, maybe we've, uh, heard something about Zen or read something, uh, or tasted, uh, some ourself.

Uh, from the outside, uh, Zen can look quite, uh, esoteric, uh, and maybe quite, uh, philosophical.

Uh, but the essence of Zen is, uh, quite down to earth.

This is our September Zazenkai and the beginning of our autumn intensive.

Today we continue our investigation of the book of Rinzai, the Rinzai Roku, the sayings and doings of Zen Master Rinzai or Lin Chi in Chinese, 9th century Chinese monk.

We're examining Chapter 19, Section 5, Followers of the Way.

The viewpoint of the Zen school is that the cycle of life and death is naturally perpetuating.

I said, oh, it's Phil Jackson, a Lakers coach.

She goes, oh, the Zen master?

Everyone knows the Zen master.

Everyone knows him.

Everyone.

So 13 total and to me just the greatest of all time and what made him so great and Prez covered him so knows this more than I do but the fact that he was able to blend personalities better than any person.

I think that's ever coached basketball and the stars, your number one down to your number 15, getting everyone to buy into that common goal and do it as a team.

That is his greatest gift and never panicked was always just that Zen master.

And keep in mind, both Phil and Pat handled a lot of stuff with grace.

Phil, known as the Zen Master.

Pat, you got the Showtime.

You got the suits, the intensity, the swagger.

The statue is scheduled to be unveiled on April 9th, 2027, prior to the Lakers' home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Known affectionately as the Zen Master, Jackson is widely regarded as one of the greatest strategists in basketball history.

Over eleven seasons across two separate stints with the franchise, 1999 to 2004 and 2005 to 2011, he established an era of dominance fueled by his signature triangle offense.

Jackson led LA to five NBA titles, including a three-peat, 2000 to 2002, with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, and back-to-back rings, 2009 to 2010, with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Now, Matt LaFleur was asked, are they going to be able to play the entirety of the game on Sunday? And his answer is, we'll see.

Now, I could go the Zen Master route and say, okay, that makes sense.

We'll see.

He's going to make sure that he leaves open all possibilities and he's not going to give away any information.

Two different teams.

And his nickname? the Zen master, not even not hiding anything about it.

If you interview Scotty Pippen or Michael Jordan, they will tell you he had them meditating.

Steve Kerr, game winning shot, 97 finals, goes on to coach four more rings.

You know, I, I, I think we have to look again at the word master.

We call our teacher a Zen master, but that's a mistranslation in the English language to the classical Vietnamese language.

Thai, our teachers are known as a Zen t- a meditation teacher.

The idea that you arrive at masterhood, then you stop, and you don't practice anymore, or Buddhahood even.

It's in our survival instinct.

But it's only recently in not so many years, but we have boxed ourself up.

In Plum Village, the greatest legacy I would say of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is him emphasizing building community with siblinghood, that we learn to see one another as family in a garden of humanity.

Yes, we're all different.