6 Thursdays (October 14 - November 18) from 6:45-8:00pm
This online class will be led by visiting teacher Rev. Kokyo Henkel, and will focus on the study and practices of lay woman ancestor Queen Śrīmālā. The Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra, is one of the main early Mahāyāna Buddhist texts belonging to the Tathāgatagarbha sūtras that teaches the doctrines of Buddha-nature through the words of the Indian queen Śrīmālā. After its composition, this text became the primary scriptural advocate in India for the universal potentiality of Buddhahood, as queen Śrīmālā expounds on Buddha-nature as the pure essence of heart/mind which we all share.
“Embracing the complete Teachings of Reality is the perfection of all the infinite facets of Awakened Awareness.”
– Śrīmālādevī Simhanada Sutra
Kokyo Henkel will be available to meet participants for dokusan individually and during the Wednesday and Saturday gatherings (for those taking part in the Fall 2021 Practice Period, of which the class is just one part). Three retreats, from the opening one-day retreat to the seven-day Rohatsu sesshin in December will be offered at AZC during the period the class meets, so students will have the opportunity to study and practice together at the same time.
Program Fees: $75 members/$100 nonmembers
As always, AZC is committed to making the teachings available to everyone. To request financial assistance from our Scholarship Fund, or if you would like to donate to the Fund for others to be able to participate, please contact AZC Administrator Maida Barbour by email or at 512-452-5777.
About Kokyo: Kokyo “Luminous Owl” Henkel trained for 19 years in residence at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (most recently as Tanto, or Head of Practice), Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, No Abode Hermitage in Mill Valley, and Bukkokuji Monastery in Japan. He was ordained as a Zen priest in 1994 by Tenshin Reb Anderson, receiving Dharma Transmission from him in 2010. He served as Head of Practice at Tassajara and Head Teacher of the Santa Cruz Zen Center. Kokyo has also been practicing with the Tibetan Dzogchen (“Great Perfection”) Teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche since 2003, in California, Colorado, and Kathmandu.