White Wind Zen Community

A Community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985

Flowers and Worms

Commentaries on the Maharahulovada sutta

by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi

Price : 
$13.00

Draft edition*: 8.5" by 11", 43 pages, Cerlox binding

"What is all this about flowers blooming? Certainly, we would often like something like that to happen. We would like it if our practice were like that: We sit down, cross our legs, face the wall, and the wall opens to reveal endless blue sky filled with flowers and light streaming in all directions and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appear, praising our name. Unfortunately, all that happens is that we cough, or we itch, and we breathe in and breathe out.

But this breathing in, this breathing out, this coughing, this itching — are those flowers? Each moment arises and blooms as it presents itself. So many colours, so many forms. The shades and tones of light splashing on the wall before you. Is Buddha born in each moment that we awaken to the flowering of this moment? Perhaps, perhaps not. We will find out."

- Zen Master Anzan Hoshin

*Draft editions are made available so that you can make use of them before the formal publications take place. Slight variations might occur between them and the final published editions. They are not to be reproduced in any form without prior permission.