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THURSDAY

Yes, Grasshopper, my first instruction in Buddhism came from Master Po on the TV series Kung Fu. Comic books introduced me to the Japanese variant of Zen. When Green Arrow tired of the violent life of the superhero, he sought enlightenment through the discipline of Zen archery, or kyudo. I remember these wonderful images of blindfolded archers releasing their shafts, which unerringly found their marks. Later, I learned that hitting the target is largely irrelevant in kyudo. Instead, enlightenment comes by facing one’s own fears and aggression. Zen is big on rituals, be it painting, haiku, tea ceremonies, or the contemplative warrior arts of swordsmanship and archery. These forms of meditation training are merely paths to a state of no-mind, of living so totally in the moment that there is no separation between thought and action. Only then can the true human spirit be released. Learn “Zen Archery: The Art of Kyudo” from bowmaker Kanjuro Shibata XX at 8 p.m. at the Department of Agriculture’s Jefferson Auditorium, 12th & Independence Ave. SW. $13. For reservations call (202) 357-3030. (Mark W. Sullivan)