Pacific Zen Institute – Refuge Ceremony

While PZI doesn’t require that its members identify as Buddhist to sit with us or study Zen with a teacher, this ceremony is our answer for those who are interested in continuing the ancient tradition of Buddhist refuge.

Taking Part in the Gathering

This is an ancient Chinese text that we thought it would be fun to translate. It is often read at Winter Solstice.

Spring Prospect

Civil war broke out in China in 956 and Dufu fled with his family to safety. Then, when the emperor sent out a call to loyalists, Dufu set off to join him but was captured by rebels and taken to Changan where he spent the winter. He wrote this poem in spring of 757.