22 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
Cleansing the Self
...the bathing of monks doesn't refer to the washing of anything tangible. When the Lord preached the Bathhouse Sutra, he wanted his disciples to remember the dharma of washing. So he used an everyday concern to convey his real meaning, which he couched in his explanation of merit from seven offerings. Of these seven, the first is clear water, the second fire, the third soap, the fourth willow catkins, the fifth pure ashes, the sixth ointment, and , the seventh the inner garment.^ He used the...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
22 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
The Meaning of Fasting
To fast means to regulate, to regulate your body and mind so that they're not distracted or disturbed. And to observe means to uphold, to uphold the rules of discipline according to the Dharma. Fasting means guarding against the six attractions^ on the outside and the three poisons on the inside and striving through contemplation to purify your body and mind.
Fasting also includes five kinds of food. First there's delight in the Dharma. This is the delight that comes from acting in accordan...22 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
See Yourself as a Lamp
The eternal lamp represents perfect awareness. Likening
the illumination of awareness to that of a lamp, those who
seek liberation see their body as the lamp, their mind as its
wick, the addition of discipline as its oil, and the power of
wisdom as its flame. By lighting this lamp of perfect
awareness they dispel all darkness and delusion. And by
passing this dharma on to others they're able to use one
lamp to light thousands of lamps. And because these lamps
likewise light countless ...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
22 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
Every Suffering is Buddha Seed
When the mind reaches nirvana, you don't see nirvana, because the mind is nirvana. If you see nirvana somewhere outside the mind, you're deluding yourself.
Every suffering is a buddha-seed, because suffering impels mortals to seek wisdom. But you can only say that suffering gives rise to buddhahood. You can't say that suffering is buddhahood. Your body and mind are the field. Suffering is the seed, wisdom the sprout, and buddhahood the grain.
The buddha in the mind is like a fragrance in ...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
21 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
Detach the Senses
To see form but not be corrupted by form or to hear sound but not be corrupted by sound is liberation. Eyes that aren't attached to form are the Gates of Zen. Ears that aren't attached to sound are also the Gates of Zen. In short, those who perceive the existence and nature of phenomena and remain unattached are liberated. Those who perceive the external appearance of phenomena are at their mercy. Not to be subject to affliction is what's meant by liberation. There's no other liberation. When...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
21 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
Whoever knows that nothing depends on anything has found ...
Whoever knows that the mind is a fiction and devoid of anything real knows that his own mind neither exists nor doesn't exist. Mortals keep creating the mind, claiming it exists. And arhats keep negating the mind, claiming it doesn't exist. But bodhisattvas and buddhas neither create nor negate the mind. This is what's meant by the mind that neither exists nor doesn't exist. The mind that neither exists nor doesn't exist is called the Middle Way.
If you use your mind to study reality, you wo...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
21 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
The Mind is the Way
Someone who seeks the Way doesn't look beyond himself. He knows that the mind is the Way. But when he finds the mind, he finds nothing. And when he finds the Way, he finds nothing. If you think you can use the mind to find the Way, you're deluded. When you're deluded, buddhahood exists. When you're aware, it doesn't exist. This is because awareness is buddhahood.
If you're looking for the Way, the Way won't appear until your body disappears. It's like stripping bark from a tree. This karmic ...Folksonomies: zen
Folksonomies: zen
05 MAY 2025 by ideonexus
A Universal of Human Conduct
There is one all-important law of human conduct. If we obey that law, we shall almost never get into trouble. In fact, that law, if obeyed, will bring us countless friends and constant happiness. But the very instant we break the law, we shall get into endless trouble. The law is this: Always make the other person feel important. John Dewey, as we have already noted, said that the desire to be important is the deepest urge in human nature; and William James said, “The deepest principle in h...13 APR 2025 by ideonexus
Leisure is an End That Can Only Be Enjoyed Without Burdens
But even when the work ethic reigns supreme, leisure holds a potent moral valence. Although we may not have much say over how we make money, we do have a choice about what we do in our free time. If work represents is, leisure represents ought: How we choose to use it will either embody our understanding of the good life or reveal the depth of our degradation. What is time well spent? Philosophers and social critics have long pondered variations of that question and offered rather consistent ...13 APR 2025 by ideonexus