Egely Monastery - TaiKyoJi

泰 居 寺

You are in the midst of the Kingdom of God . .

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Buddhism is quite well known in the West today. All schools of Buddhism are based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, who lived in northern India about 2500 years ago. At the age of 33 he had an experience - a religious awakening, through which he saw what this universe is, how it works and how we human beings can live in harmony. From that time until his death at the age of 80 he strove to instill this insight into his followers.

Over time several distinct schools of Buddhism evolved, of which Zen is one that emphasizes zazen - sitting meditation.

Here is a famous description of Zen Buddhism:

達磨四聖句    Daruma no Shiseiku    Four Sacred Verses of Bodhidharma.
教外別傳    Kyõge betsuden   A special transmission outside the scriptures;
不立文字    Furyû monji          Not depending upon words and letters;
直指人心    Jikishi ninshin        Directly pointing at the mind-heart of man;
見性成佛    Kenshõ jõbutsu    Seeing into one's nature and attaining Buddhahood.

These verses are easily understood except for “attaining Buddhahood”. This can be translated as “realization of perfect enlightenment”: an experience of the fact of primordial perfection of all and everything. There is nothing to attain, nothing to get. It is already here. Wake up! You are in the midst of the Kingdom of God.

Therefore zazen is simply sitting. There is nothing to strive for, nothing to gain. Mastering this state however, takes some adjustment and this is where Zen training comes in.

One organization that can help you here is TaikyoJi, Egely Monastery.

Our practice is based on the Rinzai School of Zen Buddha Dharma. Rinzai Zen Buddhism is famous for using koans to awaken its students to the “special transmission outside the scriptures”. Koans are dialogues or questions that are impossible to understand intellectually, but rather point to direct experiences.

Our teacher, Denko Mortensen, first became interested in Zen Buddhism in the late sixties in Denmark. He went to Ryutaku-Ji in Japan, where he met Soen Nakagawa Roshi, and later became a student of Soen Roshi’s successor, Eido Shimano Roshi. Denko was ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk on July 4th 1980. Denko received Dharma Transmission (Inka) from Eido Roshi in 2002.

AUGUST 18, 2006 Posted by Denko |

ACTIVITIES ETC.

See also NEWS Denko in zazen

Taikyo-Ji opens in Østermarie.
Monday august 6, 2007  at 19 we will conduct an introduction to Rinzai zen buddhism in  Egely, Glappevej 12 Østermarie Bornholm.

First sesshin in our new monastery.
From Sunday October 14 to friday October 19 there will be sesshin in Egely Monastery.
This is a unique chance to deepen your zen practice with, among other things, three times daily dokusan with a recognized Rinzai zen master, Teisho, many hours timers of zazen.
Reservation with depositum required at least one month in advance.
Price for members of SZC: Let us talk about it!
Price for non-members: Dkr. 1500, depositum Dkr. 500.

Denko will lead courses or workshops and give talks everywhere in Denmark. Should you/your organisation be interested then contact us

July 30 2007 Posted by Denko |