The Five Remembrances: Birth. Aging. Sickness. Death. Karma.
The body and mind are of the nature to grow old. The body and mind are of the nature to get sick. The body… Read More »The Five Remembrances: Birth. Aging. Sickness. Death. Karma.
Essays
Exhibitionist Politics by Ming Zhen Shakya, OHY
This piece, although written in 2003, is quite up-to-date on what happens when protests become terror and when breaking the rules of law and order enter as trickery and outrageous. Our dear teacher, the late Ming Zhen uplifts us to remember the more things change the more they remain the same…to some degree or another. It’s worth reading!
Take Care of Your Mind by Lao Di Zhi Shakya
Dogen’s Awarenesses – Having Few Desires, Being Content, Quietude, Diligence, Unfailing Recollection are not commandments or rules to be memorized and slavishly followed. They are qualities to be lived not just something to think about or observe in other people. These awarenesses are like seeds in our minds, when we water them with practice they can break through our ignorance, like seedlings breaking through the dirt to become plants.
Dogen’s Fifth Awareness: Unfailing Recollection
Dogen’s Fifth Awareness: Unfailing Recollection Unfailing: without error or fault; reliable or constant Recollection: action of remembering something Ah…but what are we to remember without… Read More »Dogen’s Fifth Awareness: Unfailing Recollection
A Religion Called Zen Buddhism by Ming Zhen Shakya
Welcome to this wonderful, iconic essay of our late teacher Ming Zhen Shakya. Many may know this article was published on the Chinese Buddhist website… Read More »A Religion Called Zen Buddhism by Ming Zhen Shakya
Work and the 4th Awareness of Dogen
As Freud said, “Love and work..work and love.. what else is there really?” He also was overwrought about death. “Why am I looking at Freud?”… Read More »Work and the 4th Awareness of Dogen
An Encouraging Word or Two
Happy Birthday & A Feast Day This past week we celebrated the day considered to be the birth day of Shakyamuni Buddha and the… Read More »An Encouraging Word or Two
See, Seek Not
Often in spiritual life we find seekers rather than seers. It comes out of our misunderstanding of Reality. Below there are two stories that show us when we seek, we get worn out and feel as though we are a ‘failure.’ When this happens we have fallen into the common mental formation of “measuring and comprehending.” I know this may be a surprise. Most of us have been trained to seek liberation rather than see it. It’s time to see it.