Dear Zen friends
1) September sesshin: from 09/09 to 09/13
2) On 18th (Sunday) of September, Rev. Yuji Ito will give us Baika lesson.
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
Why do we sing? This question is related to the essence of life and Buddhism.
There will be Study group at 10:00 am on the same day. We may discuss this immediate issue at the time.
The schedule on third Sunday 18th is:
Zazen: 8:00 am.
Study group: 10:00 am.
Zazen: 11:10 am.
Lunch at noon.
Baika lesson: 1:00 pm.
Baika ends: 3:00 pm.
Tea
3) A neighbor had a long vacation abroad. She asked me to pick her vegetables during the time . Thanking to her donation, I made fire wood out of a fallen tree.
Zukini, broccoli, squash and more were big and overgrown. I enjoyed fresh vegetables. But every time I approached the garden, her dog barked hard. It was ready to bite me. It was a nice dog for protecting master’s house.
I always failed to grow vegetables. Whatever kinds I planted, deer, bears, and turkeys ate them all. So I gave up maintaining a vegetable garden. Fences are not good enough to keep them out.
Ah, a barking dog! it scares animals away as well as chases a stranger. Those harmful (?) animals would not be near to my garden if there were a dog. I did not think that the reason for failure of gardening was not having a dog. Pet has been out of my concern.
Dogs and cats are most popular pet. A pet is a friend. And also a human is a friend of a pet, too. This relationship might have begun at the same time humans were born. Because both like peaceful situations throughout their and our histories.
Regards.
Eishin Ikeda
Valley Zendo
valleyzendoblog 