Taigen’s Seminars

Saturday, February 8, 2025 @ 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Online Seminar taught by Ancient Dragon Zen Gate emeritus guiding teacher Taigen Dan Leighton. We will discuss the “Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi” (Hokyo Zammai) by Dongshan Liangjie (807-869; Jpn.: Tozan Ryokai), founder of the Chinese Soto Zen lineage, Caodong Chan [pronounces Tsaodong] in Chinese. This long poem by Dongshan is a fundamental teaching in the whole Soto Zen tradition, and presents incisive and insightful perspectives on actual practice. The seminar will be based on material from Taigen’s book “Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness” (Shambhala).

Please register for this seminar using the form on the event page. Suggested donation is $50, but sliding scale available to all, less or more is welcome. All are invited regardless of insufficient funds.

Saturday, March 15, 2025,  1:00 PM – 3:30 PM  CST

Online Seminar taught by Ancient Dragon Zen Gate emeritus guiding teacher Taigen Dan Leighton. We will discuss the Five Positions (or 5 Degrees or Ranks) first presented by Dongshan. This formulation of the five-fold dialectical process of the practical integration between the phenomenal reality with the wholeness of the universal reality is the philosophical underpinning of the whole Soto tradition. The five positions teaching is also celebrated in the Rinzai Zen tradition. This seminars will be based on Taigen’s book “Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness” (Shambhala).

Please register for this seminar using the form on the event page. Suggested donation is $50, but sliding scale available to all, less or more is welcome. All are invited regardless of insufficient funds.

Saturday, February 15, 2025 @ 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Pacific Time, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST

Online Seminar taught by Taigen Dan Leighton for San Francisco Zen Center on Dongshan Liangjie (807-869; Jpn.: Tozan Ryokai), founder if the Chinese Soto Zen lineage, Caodong Chan [pronounces Tsaodong] in Chinese. In this seminar we will discuss provocative and illuminating teaching stories or koans about or related to Dongshan. This will be based on Taigen’s book “Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness” (Shambhala).

Please visit the SFZC website for more information and to register, to be announced.

For more info on Taigen see [www.taigenleighton.org].

Saturday, March 1, 2025 @ 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Pacific Time, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST

Online Seminar taught by Taigen Dan Leighton for San Francisco Zen Center on Dongshan Liangjie (807-869; Jpn.: Tozan Ryokai), founder if the Chinese Soto Zen lineage. We will discuss highlights from the “Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi” (Hokyo Zammai) by Dongshan, a fundamental teaching in the whole Soto Zen tradition presenting incisive and insightful perspectives on practice. We will then focus in the related Five Positions (or 5 Degrees or Ranks) first presented by Dongshan. This formulation of the five-fold dialectical process of the practical integration between the phenomenal reality with the wholeness of the universal reality is the philosophical underpinning of the whole Soto tradition. The five positions teaching is also celebrated in the Rinzai Zen tradition. This seminars will be based on Taigen’s book “Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness” (Shambhala).

Please visit the SFZC website for more information and to register, to be announced.

For more info on Taigen see [www.taigenleighton.org].