In this latest teisho (Zen talk) Roshi Martin, reads, comments on, and edits on the fly Chapter 11 —“The Bodhisattva Saves the Realm as the Consciousness of a Tree” from his book, “A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas” (Sumeru, 2023).
“You and the tree in your backyard come from a common ancestor. A billion and a half years ago, the two of you parted ways. But even now, after an immense journey in separate directions, that tree and you still share a quarter of your genes.” Richard Powers, quoting Canadian botanist Suzanne Simard in “The Overstory: A Novel”
“In the assemblies of the enlightened ones there have been many cases of mastering the Way bringing forth the hearts of plants and trees; this is what awakening the mind for enlightenment is like.” Zen Master Dogen
Through root systems, leaves, and fungal webs every tree is woven into a planetary web of life that enfolds the body of the Earth, as well as endlessly up into the light of sun, moon, and stars. So, where does a tree’s body and consciousness end?
How might a tree use its expansive consciousness to fulfill the three general resolutions of bodhisattvas to — “do good, avoid evil, and save the many beings”?
Listen to this unique teisho and find out!
Referenced: "The Overstory: A Novel," Richard Powers
Painting: "Trees at Night, West Branch St. Regis River" by Rafe Martin
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