There is only one thing from the beginning, bright and mysterious. Unborn, undying, indescribable. Many texts start with the easy stuff and get us into the deeper teachings slowly. Not this one. So Sahn is setting the tone for “Mirror of Zen” by throwing us straight into the deep end. He just walks up to us and says, “You know what? All things are one. And, man, this stuff is hard to understand.” This is an expression of oneness. We... Read more
So, this is obviously not the kind of thing I normally write about. In the midst of a series of Buddhist teachings, here I am writing about a historical legal drama. But, I was given the opportunity to screen his film before the release date (Friday 10/13), so here we are. I first saw Chadwick Boseman when he played the Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War (by the way, my son’s favorite hero in that film.) In that film... Read more
The Mirror of Zen is a text that was written by a teacher named So Sahn. He is one of the most revered Zen Masters in the history of Seon Buddhism. He was a Korean teacher and he tried to distill Zen teachings from over 50 sutras into a container that could easily be understood. So Sahn lived in the 1500s. He became a monk at the age of 21 and dedicated himself to lifelong study. He lived in a... Read more
I’m writing about a formless meditation practice. This is a practice that doesn’t involve reciting a mantra or visualization. It doesn’t involve focusing on anything. This is the practice of just sitting, just being here now. It’s founded in the belief that Enlightenment is our true nature and we can get there just by being here now. Dogen said, “Sitting is Enlightenment.” This practice we’re talking about is the practice of actualizing our Enlightenment. Dogen famously called it the gateway... Read more
Wisdom of the Mountains is a giant book, much bigger than I expected when I ordered it. At over six hundred pages, with numerous pictures and diagrams, it’s probably the most detailed book on Tibetan style Buddhism that I’ve seen. It’s author, Colin Stump, has traveled extensively in the Himalayan region and it’s pretty obvious in the book that he knows what he’s talking about. It starts off with basic teachings about Buddhism and then delves deeply into the specifics... Read more
He was an ordinary person. He didn't claim to be special. Read more
Chanting is a practice that exists in most of the Buddhist world. It’s often used to prepare the mind for meditation, or to separate us from daily life and bring us into a sacred space. It can also be a focus for mindfulness, keeping our attention on the chant as a way to train the mind to focus. And in some traditions it’s seen as a more magical practice, something more akin to prayer. Chanting is one of those things... Read more
Stop activity and there is no activity; When activity stops, there is no rest. Since two cannot be established, How can there be one? Stilling our minds is like resting and sometimes when we’re practicing we can experience a profound feeling of relief. It’s tiring for our minds to be active all the time. Slowing down and stilling our minds can feel very good at times, although at other times meditation feels like a great struggle. But this stillness doesn’t... Read more
One thing is not different from another. The deluded mind clings to whatever it desires. If we awakening we can see how all things are connected, how separation is an illusion. When we attach to or reject anything, we are dwelling in duality with whatever that object is. If all things are one, then seeking Enlightenment outside of ourselves makes no sense. That creates a duality. The Diamond Sutra says there is no Dharma form and there is nothing that... Read more
Let it go and be spontaneous, Experience no going or staying. Accord with your nature, unite with the Way, Wander at ease, without vexation. This sounds like a Daoist teaching. It’s important to be natural and spontaneous. Being natural means being who we really are. Engaging the world with a sense of wakefulness instead of delusion. If we’re being natural we stop trying to control everything all the time. We just let the universe unfold as it is. Being natural... Read more
Bodhisattva Road
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