Daily Excerpt: Blue Sky Mind (Diedrichs) - Foreword
.jpg)
Excerpt from Living in Blue Sky Mind (Diedrichs) -
Foreword
Richard
Gentei Diedrichs, or Gentei Sensei, as he is respectfully and affectionately
called by the members of the Daifukuji Family Sangha, draws from the well of
his childhood experiences and from wisdom gleaned as an elementary school
teacher and practitioner of Zen to bring the sweet water of the Buddha’s
teachings to people of all ages. He is honest and compassionate, a sincere
human being and teacher of the Dharma whom we can trust. He tells us
that it is possible for ordinary people, even as children, to awaken and
realize their Buddha Nature through practice.
Living in Blue Sky Mind is a refreshingly clear
presentation of the Dharma, which can be understood by children and
appreciated by adults. Gentei Sensei’s vivid childhood recollections strike a
chord in our own memories, a painful chord at times but one that reassures us
that our mistakes and painful experiences can be opportunities for spiritual
growth. The questions that Gentei Sensei poses at the end of each chapter help
us to pause, reflect, and digest each teaching before moving on to the next
one. We are given the opportunity to relate the Buddha’s teachings to our own
lives and experiences. We are given the opportunity to look into ourselves with
kindness and friendliness.
At
our Family Sangha gatherings, when Gentei Sensei moves to the center of the
meditation room and sits upon his cushion to give a Dharma lesson, the
little children immediately leave their parents’ sides and snuggle up close to
him, their eyes twinkling. They listen attentively without knowing that Dharma
seeds are being sown in their hearts and minds at a tender age, seeds which
will someday sprout and blossom. Could it be that they will grow up and
remember, as Siddhartha Gautama remembered as an adult seeker of the truth how
peaceful he felt sitting in the shade of a rose-apple tree as a child, the
teachings of the Buddha that they heard when they were young?
I
am truly grateful to Gentei Sensei for not only dedicating this season of his
life to sharing the teachings of the Buddha with children but also for creating
materials which can be used by parents and teachers alike. May Living in Blue Sky Mind be a resource
for mindful and compassionate living. May all beings be happy and filled with aloha.
In
gassho,
Jiko Nakade, Resident Minister
Daifukuji Soto Zen Buddhist Temple, Kona, Hawai’i
AVAILABLE AT 25% DISCOUNT WITH CODE FF25
AT MSI PRESS WEBSTORE
For more posts about Richard Gentei Diedrichs and his book, click HERE.
Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter
Follow MSI Press on Twitter, Face Book, and Instagram.
in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book?
Contact editor@msipress.com.
Want an author-signed copy of this book?
Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25)
and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.
You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages
Comments
Post a Comment