With palms together,
Good Morning All,
This morning I would like to talk a bit about the Three Refuges: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. When we "take refuge" in these three treasures we are not going anywhere. Its not like we are entering a cave or a fortress, secluding ourselves from the rest of the universe. These Three Treasures are living and breathing aspects of ourselves.
Each of us is a Buddha,and in a larger sense, the entire universe is Buddha. It is buddha-nature. Where is there to go that buddha-nature is not? The Buddha himself was only a representation of this, an embodiment, if you will, of us all. Simply a man who through his practice released himself from delusion, freed himself from hatred, and was the pure _expression of compassion. When we take refuge in this, we vow to be this.
Each of us is Dharma, and in a larger sense, the entire universe is Dharma. Dharma is the how and the what of everything. When we put this into words, it becomes a teaching, written down it is a scripture. Even in falsehood truth resides.
Each of us is Sangha. Life is not divisible. Categories of life are mental constructions that destroy the wetness of process. All of life is Sangha at various stages of awakening. When we enter the Sangha, we open our eyes to this intimate truth.
Vowing to become one with these is really a recognition that this oneness already exists. In the vow you become a complete expression of this unity.
Be well.
Organ Mountain Zen
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Light and Dark
With palms together,
Good Morning All,
As the sun rises, its light illuminates our atmosphere creating our sky and hiding the stars beyond. Therefore, we can say that sometimes the light of day is a hindrance. Truth does not depend on light, it is in itself. Do not be deceived by the light, nor confused by the darkness. Light and dark are but two views of the same reality.
Life requires an open heart and deep faith. Practice being present with both.
Be well.
Good Morning All,
As the sun rises, its light illuminates our atmosphere creating our sky and hiding the stars beyond. Therefore, we can say that sometimes the light of day is a hindrance. Truth does not depend on light, it is in itself. Do not be deceived by the light, nor confused by the darkness. Light and dark are but two views of the same reality.
Life requires an open heart and deep faith. Practice being present with both.
Be well.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Our Mindfull Bell
With palms together,
Good Morning All,
This morning I felt rushed. I woke late. Without panic, though, I quickly and mindfully got myself to the Zen Center for our morning Zazen.There were three of us this morning and it was delightful to light the candle and offer incense. Reciting the Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra, the words rang like deep bells in my heart ad mind. We sat quietly for a thirty minute period.
At home, I sat down to write to you and Tripper laid down beside me. He is there now, head on my left hand, breathing gently and slowly, completely relaxed. What a warm and wonderful feeling.
In our lives we perceive ourselves moving from place to place, like a boat along a shore. In truth nothing is moving. We are always right where we are. Being awake to this is the real joy of our practice.
We wake to this present moment practice by paying attention to our own bell of mindfulness as it sounds with each beat in our chests.
Be well.
Good Morning All,
This morning I felt rushed. I woke late. Without panic, though, I quickly and mindfully got myself to the Zen Center for our morning Zazen.There were three of us this morning and it was delightful to light the candle and offer incense. Reciting the Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra, the words rang like deep bells in my heart ad mind. We sat quietly for a thirty minute period.
At home, I sat down to write to you and Tripper laid down beside me. He is there now, head on my left hand, breathing gently and slowly, completely relaxed. What a warm and wonderful feeling.
In our lives we perceive ourselves moving from place to place, like a boat along a shore. In truth nothing is moving. We are always right where we are. Being awake to this is the real joy of our practice.
We wake to this present moment practice by paying attention to our own bell of mindfulness as it sounds with each beat in our chests.
Be well.
The Middle Way
With palms together,
Good Morning All,
In all things we should live in the middle. Extremes are a serious problem for both religious and secular life, as if the two can really be separated. Cutting off the heads of our enemies, burning a cross in the front of a home, bombing a church or mosque, blowing up centuries old Buddha statues are not the acts of a spiritually based people, but rather the acts of bigots who are essentially spiritual vampires. They live off the life of others.
The Middle Way is neither black nor white. It is not Buddhist, not Christian, not Jewish, not Muslim, not Hindu, not Wicca...it is a way. We practice the Middle way by serene reflection. Allow things to rise and fall away, Doing what is before us to do. Adding as little as possible of ourselves to the mix, we enjoy the moment for what it is.
Be well.
Good Morning All,
In all things we should live in the middle. Extremes are a serious problem for both religious and secular life, as if the two can really be separated. Cutting off the heads of our enemies, burning a cross in the front of a home, bombing a church or mosque, blowing up centuries old Buddha statues are not the acts of a spiritually based people, but rather the acts of bigots who are essentially spiritual vampires. They live off the life of others.
The Middle Way is neither black nor white. It is not Buddhist, not Christian, not Jewish, not Muslim, not Hindu, not Wicca...it is a way. We practice the Middle way by serene reflection. Allow things to rise and fall away, Doing what is before us to do. Adding as little as possible of ourselves to the mix, we enjoy the moment for what it is.
Be well.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Aggression
With palms Together,
Good Day All,
Aggression will get us no where but to the fires of hell. Those who fire the first shot, those who fire the last shot, all will be brothers and sisters there. In times of great pain and suffering we must commit ourselves to great peace and compassion.
Arriving at such a place is a whole other matter.
Along the path of peace and compassion come attempts to stir us. Threats to our well-being, arguement, rumor, gossip, people taking advantage of our generosity or our compassion, all of these are serious challenges. Yet, we persist.
We persist because we know that our peace and our compassion are not relative, but absolute. They are our true nature. Cultivate this nature. Nurture it. Embrace it.
Be well.
Good Day All,
Aggression will get us no where but to the fires of hell. Those who fire the first shot, those who fire the last shot, all will be brothers and sisters there. In times of great pain and suffering we must commit ourselves to great peace and compassion.
Arriving at such a place is a whole other matter.
Along the path of peace and compassion come attempts to stir us. Threats to our well-being, arguement, rumor, gossip, people taking advantage of our generosity or our compassion, all of these are serious challenges. Yet, we persist.
We persist because we know that our peace and our compassion are not relative, but absolute. They are our true nature. Cultivate this nature. Nurture it. Embrace it.
Be well.
Freedom
With palms together,
Good Morning All,
May all beings be free from suffering.
I repeat this short prayer every time I put my palms together in gassho. It is attached to each email post. Like the Tibetan prayer wheel, it is launched by my breath and my touch into the universe.
I recognize that this being, "I", am a suffering being, with all suffering beings. In truth we are one being completely. So to free one being, frees all beings, just as my behavior defines a set of possibilities for all other human beings, and their behavior, mine. There were great and fundamental truth in the basic statements of the existentialists.
Just so, it is not enough to say, we must do. In the doing we are being, never becoming.We are what we do.
So, this morning "do" love, "do" peace, "do" complete oneness.
These things then become realities for us all.
Be well.
Good Morning All,
May all beings be free from suffering.
I repeat this short prayer every time I put my palms together in gassho. It is attached to each email post. Like the Tibetan prayer wheel, it is launched by my breath and my touch into the universe.
I recognize that this being, "I", am a suffering being, with all suffering beings. In truth we are one being completely. So to free one being, frees all beings, just as my behavior defines a set of possibilities for all other human beings, and their behavior, mine. There were great and fundamental truth in the basic statements of the existentialists.
Just so, it is not enough to say, we must do. In the doing we are being, never becoming.We are what we do.
So, this morning "do" love, "do" peace, "do" complete oneness.
These things then become realities for us all.
Be well.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Take a Bite!
With palms together,
Good Morning All,
If we keep a piece of fruit too long without enjoying it, it becomes unenjoyable. Nothing can be saved for very long: the universal processes, revealing the truth of impermanence, cannot be stopped. Yet we try. My, do we try.
Trying to stop change is like refusing the Universal. Here comes the flood, let's stop it! Right!
If we are "lucky" or willing to work hard, we might slow it down, yet in the process, it is interesting to note, we lose touch with that which we are now because our attention is directed toward keeping change from happening.
Enjoy this moment, as it is. If you are exercising, you are enjoying your exercise, not working to forestall a weakened future! If you are eating healthy, enjoy eating healthy, not the thought that you are pushing away cancer or some other dread inevitability.
Take a bite of life and savor it!
Be well.
Good Morning All,
If we keep a piece of fruit too long without enjoying it, it becomes unenjoyable. Nothing can be saved for very long: the universal processes, revealing the truth of impermanence, cannot be stopped. Yet we try. My, do we try.
Trying to stop change is like refusing the Universal. Here comes the flood, let's stop it! Right!
If we are "lucky" or willing to work hard, we might slow it down, yet in the process, it is interesting to note, we lose touch with that which we are now because our attention is directed toward keeping change from happening.
Enjoy this moment, as it is. If you are exercising, you are enjoying your exercise, not working to forestall a weakened future! If you are eating healthy, enjoy eating healthy, not the thought that you are pushing away cancer or some other dread inevitability.
Take a bite of life and savor it!
Be well.
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