Author Archives: Tony Doubleday

Image of service at Liverpool zendo

Some Reflections on Ritual in Zen – Tony Shinro Doubleday Sensei

East Barn Zendo exists so that people may come together to practise zazen (meditation) in the Zen Buddhist tradition promulgated by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi (1931-1995). For this reason, the zendo (meditation room) has a Buddhist altar as its focus, towards which we bow and chant. Some people are disconcerted by the idea that in […]

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History and teaching tradition of StoneWater Zen

Stonewater Zen Sangha and Keizan Scott Roshi Stonewater Zen Sangha is led by David Keizan Scott Roshi, a Dharma successor within the lineage of the founder of the Zen Center of Los Angeles, the Venerable Taizan Maezumi Roshi  (1931-1995). Keizan Sensei is the UK and European representative to the White Plum Sangha, the international network […]

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In Memory – Sharon Rinsho Ive

Sharon Rinshō Ive died suddenly and unexpectedly on 24 March 2021 in Gravesend, Kent. Sharon had practised Zen for many years, beginning in Kanzeon Sangha, with Genpo Merzel Roshi, who gave her jukai and whose US centre  she visited a number of times.  Sharon participated in sesshin led by Tenshin Fletcher Roshi and Kaizen Scott […]

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Tozan Ryokai; Awakening to the Phenomenal World – Tony Shinro Doubleday

The thirty-eighth ancestor in the Soto lineage was Tozan Ryokai (807-69). He received transmission from Ungo Donjo (784-841) after first training with a number of other masters, including Isan Reiyu (771-853). Tozan met with Isan at a time when he was preoccupied by a question, which, according to the scholar Robert Sharf, was controversial within […]

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Deaf and Blind in the Land of Zen

By coincidence, I came across the following sermon by Dogen Zenji, in Taigen Dan Leighton’s translation of Dogen’s Eihei Koroku, having just put down A Blind Man in the Land of Zen, which is newly published by fellow Sangha-member Steve Hobson: Hyakujo received a shout from Baso, whereupon he became deaf for three days. All people in […]

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