Zen is known as a path “beyond words and letters,” a “heart-to-heart transmission outside the scriptures.” And yet the literature of Zen carries unique spiritual potentials. Learning to connect with and activate the power of Zen texts is, for many, an essential part of practice. This calls for a different way of reading, free from the intellect’s tyranny.

Genjōkōan – the classic writing by 13 th -century Japanese monk Dōgen –offers a gateway into this intimate textual practice. In this session, we will introduce and familiarize ourselves with Genjōkōan, in the spirit of embodying its innermost meaning. This is a text that can change the quality of our presence in everyday life.

Join us for meditation, dharma study, vegan treats and conversation.

Patrick Dunn is a Zen priest and Ph.D student in Comparative Studies at Ohio State. He lived and practiced for nine years at Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon.