Summary: Episode Description: This Dharma talk, offered by Sensei Alan during a zazenkai (day-long silent meditation retreat), is a wonderful concise commentary on the Zen poem Song of the Grass Hut. This poem was composed by the 8th century Chinese Zen master Shitou Xiqian. It is one of only two works known by him (the second being the Sandokai, or Merging of Difference and Unity). The talk begins with a group recitation of the poem, followed by about thirty minutes of explication of the poem, and ends with a Q&A. BIO : Alan Senauke is vice-abbot of Berkeley Zen Center (BZC) in California. Since 1991 Alan has worked with the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, where he presently serves as Senior Advisor. He continues to work as a socially engaged Buddhist activist, most recently founding the Clear View Project, developing Buddhist-based resources for relief and social change. In another realm, Alan has been a student and performer of American traditional music for more than forty years.
