Retreat Reports: Other Chan Retreats

We have not always designated a retreat as being for one specific practice alone. The following reports relate to retreats designated simply as “Chan”, and which may have included teaching and practice of general Buddhist meditation as well as of Silent Illumination, Koan (Gongan) or Huatou practice.

Two experiences come to mind from the retreat:

One morning as I walked outside the Chan hall, I observed 15 to 20 birds darting in and out of trees…

A monk said to the Master "The Buddhas of past present and future don't understand. Cats and oxen do. Why don't the Buddhas understand?" Master…