Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun Presents: Zen and the Martial Arts

The Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, developed by the founders of the Nan Hua Zen Buddhist Society, was the first exclusively electronic ministry on the Internet. The priests of ZBOHY follow the ancient teachings of Hui Neng and Lin Chi and the modern teachings of Hsu Yun. The Sangha has no dues or fees of any kind. Precepts are given free of charge to correspondents who have demonstrated a sincere desire to follow the Buddha's EightFold Path.

Illustrations, Videos and Photos

The late Venerable Fo Yuan, 13th Patriarch Yun Men lineage. Watercolor done from snapshot by Fa Ming Shakya, dasmara@gmail.com.

This beautiful portrait of Abbot Yin Cai Shakya's lovely "one and only" was done by Fa Ming Shakya who created it from a snapshot. Anyone who wants to have a photograph converted to a work of art can contact the artist at dasmara@gmail.com.

Visit the Archives for a complete listing of essays, poems, commentaries and more.

Click here to visit our original website which contains many fine features and previously published essays http://zbohy.zatma.org.

To contact a member of our clergy please visit the Clergy page.

Poetry
The Collected Poems of Zen Master Hsu Yun

ZATMA Dojo

There exists a myriad of different Martial Arts which are continually being studied, practiced, developed and refined all over the world. This is intended to be a resource pertinent to the study of Martial Arts, the living practice of Zen Buddhism, and how the two relate to one another.

Art Gallery
See a selection of art from members of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, as well as pieces from other wonderful artists.

Literature
Empty Cloud: The Teachings of Master Hsu Yun
The Seventh World of Chan Buddhism (Basic and intermediate Chan teaching)
Ruminations on Zen's Cows (On the Oxherding pictures of Zen and their relationship to the Corrida)
Assault On The Summit

Special Announcements, Personal Tributes & Memorable Moments

Fa Geng Shakya, Our Man In Rome has just had a new book published! Look for it on the shelves in mid-October!

Our dear Assistant Abbot, sharing a peaceful moment with his son.

Fa Yuen Shakya and three of his Zen converts in the big sky country of Montana.

2012, © Jose Gilmar da Silva Souza

Karate action photos from the July 2004, New Orleans competition.
Tai Chi performance by Da Shi Chuan Sheng.
The prayer Suryanamaskar may be performed as a warm-up exercise.

Links
The Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun does not promote or endorse and is not responsible for any of the products or services offered.

Tendai Lotus (in cooperation with Mount Hiei, Japan)
Anyone interested in obtaining Yoga and dress clothing from India email Ms. Ruchi Chandr

Notice to our Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun sangha members and readers

There has been some confusion about which website is the site of the original Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, a non-profit corporation, that has served the Internet community since November, 1997. We are that group and anyone who wishes to check with the Secretary of State's office in Carson City, Nevada, can confirm this.
The organization now located at the address www.hsuyun.org is a non-profit corporation chartered in the state of Utah on August 3, 2004, #5702081-0140. This Utah organization is not related to or affiliated with the original Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, and Ming Zhen Shakya has likewise never been involved or affiliated with the Utah organization.
Anyone who received Buddhist Precepts from the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun prior to that date has received them from our Order and is invited to consult with a priest through our ZATMA.org address.
On behalf of our corporate officers and board chairman Yin Zhao, Chuan Yuan, Chuan Chao, and myself, I invite you all to continue to visit our pages and to contribute your comments. If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns, please contact us at info@zatma.org.

In the Dharma,
Ming Zhen Shakya

Essays, Poetry and Talks

Photo Credit: myththeoriginofman.com

Because they regard themselves as intellectuals who cannot countenance things unscientific, atheists mock rituals they do not understand. In Theophagy: The Communion Ritual, Ming Zhen Shakya examines this religious practice.

Photo Credit: theeco-senior.blogspot.com

Retirement has been giving Abbot John time to consider important things like pond life. In And After Golf? Then What? he's ready to throw the retirement towel in and get back into the "Zen and Not Zen world."

Photo credit: BodyBuilding.com

Homer Simpson is an icon of mixed messages. In The Simpsons: The Day of the Locust, Ming Zhen Shakya examines the life of the original Homer Simpson and his connection to the Book of Exodus.

Photo credit: Ming Zhen Shakya

People can misuse both science and religion. When scientists mock religious people just to make money, it's time to remind them to tithe. In The Unbelievers: Another Stab at Atheism Ming Zhen Shakya looks at a couple of heirs to Madalyn Murray O'Hair.

Photo credit: http://www.americanthinker.com/

Are we too connected to divisive or meaningless social media? It's time to get back to basics. In Welcome back to Zen Ming Zhen Shakya gives some advice about reclaiming our own identities and making a spiritual commitment to ourselves.

http://www.barstoolsports.com/staging/super-page/firefighter-rescues-husky-that-fell-through-the-ice-in-south-boston/

A story of a dog trapped on the ice with the help of Sensei Wong, a fictional character in Anthony Wolff’s novel, Revenge, Recovery and Rescue: The 3R Murders show how cause and effect is not a one to one relationship of laying blame or claiming praise. It’s much more difficult. Find out the straightforward Zen Way of Sensei Wong and get off this slippery spot of praise and blame in A Dog on the Ice, by Yao Xiang Shakya.

Fa Ming Shakya, ZATMA

Anthony Wolff, pioneer in spiritual storytelling where good guys, bad guys and Zen make for subtle spiritual entertainment is appraised in Yao Xiang Shakya’s AHA! Mystery Story, A Moral Tale?.

Lear and Cordelia by William Blake
Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Young, old or advancing years, Shakespeare addresses our fundamental human fears of decrepitude in this most unadorned display of King Lear’s self-interest. Who will we count on when we can’t look after ourselves? Badly, madly Lear plots a retirement plan with frightful consequences and more. Read Yao Xiang Shakya’s sacred twist of this old King amidst the dead bodies in King Lear’s Retirement Plan: A Bad, Mad ‘Selfie’

Photo credit: Kanshiketsu, American Style, Yao Xiang Shakya,’14

Everyone gets hurt here on this planet. It’s a fact. But not everyone knows about the healing medicine of the “bitter pill.” Yao Xiang Shakya offers some preliminary doses leading towards the double strength medicine of the kanshiketsu in The Bitter Pill: Kanshiketsu

Ever wonder what to do when you have done someone harm? Yao Xiang Shakya gives common sense wisdom that warns the ego to “Stop Playing Around!" and goes beyond salvific prescriptions.

Photo credit: http://www.ifood.tv/blog/side-effects-of-eating-cakes

Our dear Associate Abbott, Yao Xin Shakya, invites us, at the start of the New Year, to take a bite as he enjoys his own Proustian cake in an unexpected moment. Bite into his illuminating and sweet article,Zen Proustian Cake, A Bite of Enlightenment.

Photo credit: Yao Xiang Shakya

Ko Den, Ku Shin, a visiting lay Buddhist to ZATMA, offers us two gifts of Dharma in a Winter holiday message in Winter 2013
Ko Den, Ku Shin has practiced Zen for over 15 years and is now the facilities manager at a small Zen group in Illinois.

Photo credit: WorldSoccerTalk.com

Bored? Why not follow Abbot Yin Cai on one of his Adventures in Japanese Folklore? He isn't responsible for any property damage incurred along the way, though.

Photo credit: Kyoto Natl. Museum

Yao Xiang Shakya brings us a fine insight into the hungry nature of the ego self in The Disappointed, Hungry Ghost

"Emerging Buddha 3," Yao Xiang Shakya, 2013

Sinner, disciple or an ongoing sense of faliure, Yao Xiang Shakya reminds us of who we really are with the help from our Dharma brother, Da Shi Yin Zhao, in "Emerging Buddha."

Orange and Yellow by Mark Rothko
Photo credit: www.radford.edu/rbarris

In Detachment and McCormack's "Selling Heaven" Ming Zhen comments on the Irish poet's escape from self-absorption while staring into Rothko's Orange Light.

Photo credit: http://media.npr.org

Using Captain Bligh as a derogatory remark may lose some venom after reading Yao Xiang Shakya's remix of this well-known and infamous historical event.

Photo credit: http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/content/images/0918b5buddha.jpg

In Discrimination: Song Of El Mozote,discrimination is "holy" discrimination and an essential ability for the spiritual adept. Yao Xiang Shakya shows us up close with two, outwardly unrelated, spiritual seekers.

Photo credit: IMDB.com 2013

Yao Xiang Shakya surprises us with a common spiritual question found in an uncommon recounting of an overwhelmingly popular British memoir about midwives who delivered babies in the blitzed East End of London circa 1950. No, Not That! Anything BUT That! points to a reply.

Photo credit: whenlifehandsyoulemonsjugglethem.wordpress.com 2013

Yao Xin Shakya’s rendering of Huang’s Po’s Slap shows us the spiritual fortune of a good smack in daily life!

Shi Yin Zhao, O.H.Y. 1957 - 2008

A tribute to our Dharma Brother, Da Shi Yin Zhao, In Memoriam.

VM Fo Yuan shares a pleasantry with Ming Zhao

Venerable Master Ming Zhao (xin Jue) In My Eyes Barry Tse (Shi Yao Hui) writes affectionately about his master VM Ming Zhao.

Dawn on the lake near Jiang Jun Si, Chi-Bi (Red Cliff) City, Hubei Province. Yao Hui Shakya gives details of the restoration of the old Tang Dynasty Buddhist Temple.

Map of China showing Hubei Province, famed location of Wu Dang Martial Arts development. The Yangtze River forms its southern boundary line. Jiang Jun Si is located near Chi-Bi (Red Cliff) City, down in the dip in the lower right of the province. This is also the location site of the movie, Battle of Red Cliff which is currently being filmed by Director John Woo.