Skip to main content

Soshimsa Zen Center Presents "Under the Bodhi Tree"

On Monday, November  23, Soshima Zen Center presented “Under the Bodhi Tree: a Meditative Journey Cloaked in Music”, a dramatic representation of the night of the Buddha's enlightenment, some 2,500 years ago, as presented in Mahayana Buddhist teachings.

Seated attendees faced a projection screen illuminated from the rear. V. Myong-Ahn Sunim provided a brief introduction and context as to the legend of the Buddha's enlightenment. A dramatic narration ensued, punctuated at intervals by quotes from the Buddha. Specially selected musical compositions set the mood as each phase of the story unfolded.  Throughout the piece, the projection was illuminated with an ever-changing, kaleidoscopic display of light.


The conclusion of the program was met with applause.

Concept adapted by V. Myong-Ahn Sunim
Music selected by Bob Davey and V. Myong-Ahn Sunim
Creative development by V. Myong-Ahn Sunim
Written by V. Myong-Ahn Sunim, Bob Davey
Voices supplied by: the Mysterions
Recording, Mixing, Editing, Effects: V. Myong-Ahn SunimSound by Round Square Innovations 
Performance space design, visuals: V. Myong-Ahn Sunim



Music

TRACK  1: Intro: Hindi music- artist unknown
TRACK 2: First Watch of the Night: Scarlet Woman by Weather Report
TRACK 3: Second Watch of the Night: Forlorn- Joe Zawinul performed by Weather Report
TRACK 4: Third Watch of the Night: Gaspard de la nuit (Guardian of the Jewels)- by Maurice Ravel
TRACK 5: The Daughters of Mara-Pleasure: Imp’s Welcome by Chick Corea
TRACK 6: The Daughters of Mara – Craving: Coming Home- Defiance- by Yungchen Lhamo
TRACK 7: The Daughters of Mara – Discomfort: Ib So Ri (The Oral Sound)-by Kim So Hee
TRACK 8: Mara’s Assault: Returns a King- 300 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)-Tyler Bates
TRACK 9: Closing: Easy Like Sunday Morning by Lionel Richie 

Popular posts from this blog

Moment-to-Moment Reincarnation

Do you think that the sages, the spiritual masters are ordinary, or do you think there are extraordinary? Do you think they are special, unique, or do you think they are just normal? If you think the masters are just normal, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think the masters are extraordinary, you will never reach enlightenment. If you think that the masters are normal, you will not pursue the goal of spiritual practice correctly. In Zen tradition, this is illustrated in almost graphic ways. “The one who set their mind on the goal of enlightenment is to practice as if their hair was on fire and they’re looking for a lake into which to dive into”. It is with this urgent energy that one is to pursuit Enlightenment. So, if you think masters are just ordinary, you won't have the necessary energy to pursue it. If you think masters are extraordinary. You won't even start the journey. “Ah, these lofty goals are for a select group of people, some special fantastic spiritual V...
March 2024 Soshimsa HoriZen Newsletter is in! Click HERE to view the Newsletter with clickable links.

Founder's Day 2023 (Abbot's Address)

I have, from time to time, on the rarest of occasions, been accused of being...verbose. I know! I was as shocked then as you are now. So, we are in imminent danger of the lunch getting cold. Yet, I don’t have the words (imagine that!) to express how fortunate we are to be in the mere presence of a Dosa. This is the stuff we each have to stick our head through the mystical curtain of mystery to glimpse. So, we won’t go there now. I thought to myself… if I absolutely had to, choose a single quality of IlCho Dosanim that I would want to highlight. What would that be? And of course, we go through the usual list: wisdom, compassion, knowledge, patience, etc. Yet, as much as all of these are true, today they won’t do. And so, I went on, sifting through and I think I found it. So here it is, the single most impressive quality of Il-Cho Dosanim, for me….expressed in a single word… succinct. Succinct. Never have I met someone who can distill the esoteric and the complexities of our human condit...