Pushing Down, Lifting Up

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi – ZMM – 10/24/26 – Delving into the well-known koan of “Zhaozou’s Dog,” Shugen Roshi explores the importance of seeing one’s self-nature clearly, without the baggage and habits of our defensiveness. This early step in koan training helps us train our minds in letting go of the illusions of “self” and “others” directly and intimately. With this foundation in practice, we can go further in exploring how self-nature and buddha nature function in our lives. (From the Book of Serenity, Case 18 – Zhaozhou’s Dog.)