Donin Minamizawa Zenji is the abbot of Eiheiji, the main temple of Soto Zen. He is also the founding abbot of Kanshoji monastery in the Dordogne (France). Every year, the Superior of the Sôtô Zen School gives an official address. Here is the message from the Venerable Donin Minamizawa Zenji. The various issues facing […]
Speeches and testimonials On 10 and 11 June, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the monastery. Over 140 guests attended. Everything went very smoothly and naturally. The atmosphere was joyful, the hearts peaceful. We would like to share with you some extracts from the various testimonies and speeches that were given on this occasion, each […]
The 12th winter ango went well in Kanshoji. During this training period, the monk Mokusho Eric Hadjadj, from the Limoges Zen Centre, took on the role of shuso, the first of the monks, guiding the other five participants by his example. Throughout the three months, members of the Sangha came – for a few […]
There are those who want to change the world by asking others to change, and those who want to change the world by looking inside themselves. These two standpoints are mutually exclusive. If we look at other people too much, we can’t see ourselves. This is what this very important precept tells us: don’t criticize, […]
In an attempt to define Zen, one could say that it is to place the world of Being at the heart of our lives. To place the world of Being, rather than the world of Having, at the heart of our lives. Before having any thoughts, we are, we exist. For instance, in zazen, we […]
We hope for a brighter future. We hope that tomorrow will be better than today. We think: Tomorrow, if I have more money, I’ll be happier. If I have more comfort, I’ll be happier… We are in the pursuit of happiness. And the more you pursue happiness, the more it escapes; this is because true happiness […]
Our posture should not be closed up. Our posture should spread in all directions, in the numberless directions, it should open indefinitely. The infinity of forms is nothing but non-form. It could be said that forms come from non-form and return to non-form. More poetically, we could say: The white cloud is born of the […]
If you look at zazen from the outside, you don’t understand. People sometimes tell me: “But you are loosing your time, sitting there doing nothing…” To practice zazen is to practice the normal condition of the mind. The opposite of the normal condition is madness. Nowhere are we being taught what to do with negative […]
Sotoshu :
Ecole zen Sôtô
UBF :
Union Bouddhiste de France