kevin hunt sensei

Kevin Jiun Hunt, OCSO, Sensei was certified as teacher of zen in 2005 by Roshi Robert Jinsen Kennedy, student of Bernard Tetsugen Glassman and Maezumi Roshi (White Plum Sangha).
Sensei can be reached at: kevinhunt228@gmail.net

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Buddhist - Christian Retreat:

March 13-15, 2009

Holy Family Retreat Center,

West Hartford, CT.

Dartmouth, MA

White Crane Zendo

856 Tucker Road

Dartmouth, MA 02747

contact: mtacy@umassd.edu

Retreats:

Zazenkai Saturday 9AM - 5PM

North Dartmouth, MA

March 13-15, 2009

Holy Family Retreat Center,

West Hartford, CT.

Brendan Napp (508-577-8867)
To register go the url below and choose retreat from the menu. http://www.holyfamilyretreat.org

Regular sittings at White Crane:

Weekly zazen:

Mondays 7:00-8:00 pm

Zazenkai/all day sit

First Saturday of the month

May 9, 2009

9:00 am - 5:00pm

In Southbury, CT:

Saturday sittings (monthly) .

confirm with: patriciastonge@aol.com

Talks by Fr. Kevin Hunt, Sensei

Institute for World Spirituality

Chicago 7/27/97

Christian Buddhist Retreat - Zen master Dae Kwan/Fr. Kevin Hunt

Fr. Kevin Hunt

The Buddha left home and practiced six years spending his time in meditation, he, then, spent forty years in preaching. The question that drove him from his home and family is the same question that confronts each and every one of us no matter what religious tradition we might follow: Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Moslem, or, even Atheist. It is : Who am I? It is this question which brings us here today. We might not even be able to articulate this question to ourselves but that doesn’t matter. If we reflect deep enough and long enough it is the impulse to really know who I am that lies at the basis of every quest whether I realize it or not. Both Christianity and Buddhism attempt to answer that question. I say attempt because any answer that we articulate is limited and so inadequate. We cannot limit the question of “ Who am I” to these two traditions. I mention them because we are in the context of a Christian/Buddhist retreat. It is a question which is found wherever thinking beings exist. Recall that the early Greek philosophers tried to find an answer, as did the Chinese and all the other peoples of the world. It is not necessary to formulate the question in exactly the way I did. In my own monastic tradition, one of our great teachers, Bernard of Clairvaux, was said to ask himself every day: “Quid vinisti, Bernardus, quid vinisti?” “Why are you here, Bernard, why are you here (in the monastery)?” It can be that the question is, at first, formulated in relation to pain and suffering in some way. Or it can be doubts about oneself, one’s country, class, or culture. Nor does that question have to be articulated in profound sentiments. The Buddha started his questioning when he encounter the ordinary suffering and pain of his time. It could be that you might first give rise to the question seeing some in the newspaper or TV. Nor is it necessary to use any special words of ideas. It can arise out of the most common incidents, like stubbing your toe. Indeed, any philosopher worth his salt will tell you that this question of “Who am I?” is at the root of every question and every endeavor. And there have been many answers proposed. Karl Marx thought the answer was in economics, others in psychology, and others in riches. Much of what we do in our day to day lives flow from an unarticulated attempt to find out who we really are. Is the answer found in consuming as much of the world’s production as possible, earn more, buy more? Can I find out who I really am by making myself the most desirable man of woman? Having great possessions? The Buddha fled a great palace; and some of the parables of Jesus point out that possessions and riches are not the answer. But it is this question of “who am I?” that brings each one of us here today. Each of us will have a different answer if we take a look at why we are here. To get great enlightenment? To solve all your problems? (We Americans are great problem solvers; indeed, we attempt to solve the problems of the world.) Oh! I’ll go on retreat and get enlightenment, and never have another problem in my life! Was it curiosity? I wonder who a Buddhist teacher and a Christian monk can have in common? Or is it just an outing, getting away from the kids. It doesn’t matter because the real question at the bottom is that of life and death, of “Who am I”. The discovering of this question which underlies our existence can, at times, be frightening because of our superficial ego. The conviction that we all have that identifies us with things that do not last and which we use to hide ourselves from facing the deeper questions of existence. This superficial ego is, for most of us, our shield that protects us from confronting life and death. It is terrifying when we begin to realize how superficial and unreal that ego it. Yet the amazing thing is that both the Buddhist and Christian traditions tell us that we already have the answer. The very fact that you can ask already means that on some level the answer is there. The Buddha when he left his palace, he already had the answer. He was a slow learner - it took him six years of hard work for him to realize he already knew the answer. Jesus journeyed from Galilee to where John the Baptist was preaching at the Jordan and was baptized. He already knew the answer. But if the Buddha and Jesus appear to be slow learners, well, what about us. We are even slower learners. But, in this time really doesn’t matter Jesus taught for three years, the Buddha for forty. Melchizedek probably taught for a thousands years. Both Buddhism and Christianity tell that we must have great faith. And that great faith is need to believe that the answer is already present. Yes! The answer is right here, right now. A caution: When I speak of an answer I do not mean what we ordinarily think of in talking of the word ‘answer’. We immediately think of a concept or an idea , but the answer of which I am verbalizing is before thought, before ideas, before words. It just is. So we say just be, just be. You will note that the greater part of this day is given over to doing, to being. The emphasis is on practice. There is not much in the way of giving you a lot to think about ... just the opposite. What I want you to do, and to do with great confidence is to focus on the answer to ‘Who am I?’ It is right before our eyes. It is right there. There is no need to stress yourself. Just the opposite. This is not an ego- centric practice. We must also have confidence in the reality that this practice is transforming the world. Our practice is not a solitary practice in the sense that it is for me, and me alone. When we sit the whole world is sitting with us on our cushion, on our chair. This practice is the answer to the suffering of the world. In front of us in this hall is a picture of Jesus on the Cross and a picture of the Buddha in meditation. Both these picture contain all the suffering of the world. At times this suffering will weight heavily on you as you practice. It might center on the difficulties of sitting quietly, the pain in the legs, the sense of doing nothing, of boredom. ( well known Korean teacher would tell his students: Boredom is good, very good.) The temptation is to get away from these feelings, to try to avoid them by allowing different fantasies to run through our heads, to think things out. In reality the only real way to arrive at the insight of ‘who am I?’ is just to be completely present right here, right now. As we start this practice we have to have great faith and confidence that the answer to the question “Who am I?” is already present. It is right here before us at every moment. And our work is to transform the world. Buddhism speaks of compassion; Christianity speaks of charity. The entire world is present in this very room. In front of us we have two pictures: one of Jesus on the Cross, the other depicts the Buddha in meditation. Each picture shows the world being brought to it final realization. This realization is taking place in each and every one of us. St. Paul, in one of his epistles, the whole of creation groans in anticipation of the revelation of the children of God. In mediation each one takes that groaning into the depths of his/her being. As the book of Wisdom tells us: “ Be still and know that I am God.” The way of meditation is work. It takes effort, it takes endurance, it takes confidence (hope). This way is like a pregnancy. We all know that a pregnancy takes time. It can’t be rushed. So the way of meditation is giving birth to the reality of “Who am I?”. This “I” is not egocentric. It is not a “me”. The realization of this question is the salvation of the world.

Revised April 2008

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