Dharma Library

A large collection of articles, from past issues of New Chan Forum and more besides.

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Laywomen in Buddhism’s earliest years: Clues to their significance in the Pali Canon

Calligraphy for the character Chan

In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Mara reminds the Buddha, now approaching death, of his earlier words: ‘I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples – wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma …’ 1 The role of each element of this Fourfold Assembly in preserving and propagating the…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Other Articles , Others , New Chan Forum 63

Book review: The Angel's Wound – Collected Haibun

Cover image of The Angel's Wound

In this book George Marsh, one-time editor of this journal, presents a collection of haibun. Those familiar with the muse and process of haiku and haibun will know, however, that you do not collect them, they collect you. So here we have the assembled work of someone that has been collected through the experiences and activities of his life including those of a Buddhist practitioner.

For readers…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2023 , Book Reviews , Eddy Street , New Chan Forum 63

Right Livelihood

Calligraphy for the character Chan

When I was asked several years ago to write a personal perspective on my career as a doctor in relation to right livelihood, I thought it would be easy. It is a huge privilege to work as a doctor with a livelihood dedicated to alleviating the effects of illness – we try and help people when they are vulnerable and are often admitted to their most private life events. The most useful advice I…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Other Articles , Others , New Chan Forum 63

Investigating the Precepts

Simon Child headshot

An important component of Chan Buddhist practice is the practice of the Precepts. For lay practitioners the five lay precepts are the basis. There are several other formulations such as eight precepts, ten precepts, Bodhisattva precepts, and the monastic precepts which are counted in the hundreds. I shall leave those for another day and focus here on the basic five lay precepts of: not killing;…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Dharma Talks , Simon Child , New Chan Forum 63

Retreat Report – Silent Illumination July 2022

A cup of tea

heatwave
only the butterflies
still busy

I am a chatterer, verbalising everything in my head all the time, keeping a running commentary going and explaining events to some imaginary listener. It took me a while to realise on retreat that the ‘Silent’ in ‘Silent Illumination’ was not the silence of nature but had to be the silence of me.

I was strict with myself and cut down the flow of the wordy…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Silent Illumination Retreat Reports , Anon , New Chan Forum 63

Retreat Report, Koan Retreat September 2022, a poem

Calligraphy for the character Chan

Planting a great oak at Shawbottom
and returning each year to say, “I did that”,
that would be something.
The sapling trees were ready in pots,
the spade resting against the shed.

I could only claim a short-lived success
weeding between the paving slabs.
About his many enlightenment experiences
Sawaki Roshi once said,
“they didn’t amount to a whole hill of beans”.

In my secret koan, ‘Tokusan’s Bowls’,
eg…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Poetry , Koan Retreat Reports , Anon , New Chan Forum 63

My Sheltered Place: a Haibun

Calligraphy for the character Chan

The fresh crisp morning air assails my senses as I quietly close the kitchen door behind me. The gravel crunches under my feet, yet all is silent.

I turn the corner of the street and the south-west wind rushes across my face.

I hear the sea before I see the sea, for all is still dark at this early hour.

The smell of wet briny beach is strong as I descend the steps to the beachside path and turn…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2022 , Poetry , Others , New Chan Forum 63

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