Sunday, July 29,2007

Call to Silence and Opening Meditation

"The Paradox of Good and Evil"

Imagine taking a lamp into a place which has been dark for a thousand years; that lamp will instantly pierce the darkness, and dispel it. In the same way a single spark of wisdom can dispel ignorance that has lasted for aeons.

Do not worry about the past; the past is over, and cannot be recovered. Concentrate on the future; in particular, concentrate on the next moment, dispelling all darkness from your mind.

To the ignorant mind good and evil are opposites. To the wise mind there can be no duality, only unity. True unity cannot be polluted by evil, nor can it be cleansed by goodness. Yet one evil thought can spoil the merit accumulated over many lives, and one good thought can expiate the sins of many lives. So watch over the mind, ensuring that only good thoughts pass through it; by this means you will move towards enlightenment, in which there is neither good nor evil.

Hui-neng 6 --from The Global Spirit Library:366 Readings from Buddhism ed. Robert Van de Weyer (Cleveland, Ohio: THe Pilgrim Press, 2000)

READINGS:
About Mahayana and Zen Buddhism, compiled from various sources as noted.

THe Bodhisattva Path
What followers of teh Mahayana sought abovaae all through their religious practice was to follow the bodhisattva path. Over the course of several centuries the various stages in the "career" of a bodhisattva were worked out in some detail. The crucial initial stage is the arising of what is known as the "thought of enlightenment" or bodhicitta. This might be likened to a conversion experience, and is the point at which the initial motivation to become a bodhisattva in order to save others arises. The individual then seeks initiation as a bodhisattva, in the course of which he takes a vos (pranidhana) to save all beings by leading them to nirvana, regardless of how long it takes.

Bodhisattvas who had reached the higher stages of their careers were visualized as enormously powerful beings, virtually identical to the Buddha in his heavenly form. Indeed, the distinction between a Buddha and an advancead bodhisattva becomes extremely blurred. [One] of the most important in the ranks of these 'celestial' bodhisattvas [is] Avalokitesvara, 'The Lord who Looks Down (in compassion)'. . .

--from Damien Keown, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996), 63-64

Kuan-yin
Kuan-yin originated as an Indo-Tibetan divinity and was introduced into China by the Mahayana school about the fifth century c.e. Kumerajiva, who entered China in the fifth century, was the first to render the Hindu name Avalokitesvara (Sanskrit) by its Chinese equivalent "Kuan-yin". The name Kuan-yin is a bad Chinese translation of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara...Her name means "She who hears the sounds (prayers) of mortals; she who looks down upon the world and hears its cries.".

Kuan-yin was said to be so concerned for humanity that, upon receiving enlightenment, she chose to retain human form rather than transcend it as pure energy. She wanted to stay until every living creature attained enlightenment. For centuries, as a result, she has been the chief symbol of human compassion.

--from Grace Ji-Sun Kim, The Grace of Sophia (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 2002), 90-93

Zazen
Usually religion develops itself in the realm of consciousness, seeking to perfect its organization, building beautiful buildings, creating music, evolving a philosophy, and so forth. These are religious activities in the conscious world.
But Buddhism emphasizes the world of unconsciousness. The best way to develop Buddhism is to sit in zazen-just to sit, with a firm conviction in our true nature. This way is much better than to read books or study the philosopohy of Buddhism. Of course it is necessary to study the philosophy--it will strengthen your conviction. Buddhist philosophy is so universal and logical that it is not just the philosophy of Buddhism, but of life itself. The purpose of Buddhist teachings is to point to life itself existing beyond consciousness in our pure original mind.

I am very glad to be here on the day Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bo tree. When he attained enlightenment under the Bo tree, he said, "It is wonderful to see Buddha nature in everything and in each individual!" What he meant was that when we practice zazen we have Buddha nature, and each of us is Buddha himself. By practice he did not mean just to sit under the Bo tyree, or to sit in the cross-legged posture. It is true that this posture is the basic one or original way for us, but actually what Buddha meant was that mountains, trees, flowing water, flowers, and plants-everything as it is-is the way Buddha is. It means everything is taking Buddha's activity, each thing in its own way.

If you continue this simple practice every day, you will obtain some wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after you attain it, it is nothing special.

Buddha nature is our original nature; we have it before we practice zazen and before we acknowledge it in terms of consciousness. So in this sense, whatever we do is Buddha's activity. If you want to understand it, you cannot understand it. When you give up trying to understand it, true understanding is always there.
-from Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practicea (Boston: Weatherhill/Shambala, 1970, reprint 2005), 130,131,46

An excerpt from "Perfect wisdom for a moment"

Those who think that perfect wisdom can be realized by believing certain doctrines, will never realize perfect wisdom. Those who think that perfect wisdom can be realized by studying external objects, will never realize perfect wisdom. Only those who look within themselves for perfect wisdom, will realize it.
Hui-neng 10
-from The Global Spirit LIbrary:366 Readings from Buddhism ed. Robert Van dea Weyer (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 2000).

A Reading from The Gospel of Mary (trans. Karen King)

When the Blessed One had said these things, he greeted them all, "Peace be with you!" he said. "Acquire my peace within yourselves!"
"Be on your guard so that no one deceives you by saying, 'Look over here!' or 'Look over there!' For the child of true Humanity exists within you. Follow it! Those who search for it will find it.
"Go then, preac[h] the good news about the Realm. [Do] not lay down any rule beyond what I determined for you, nor promulgate law like the lawgiver, or else you might be dominated by it."
After he had said these things, he departed from them.
-from Karen King, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle http://www.maryofmagdala.com/GMary_Text/gmary_text.html

Call to Conversation
Closing Meditation

Bodhisattva Vows (changed in unison)

Beings are numberless
I vow to save them
Delusions are inexhaustible
I vow to end them
Dharma gates are boundless
I vow to enter them
Buddha's way is unsurpassable
I vow to become it.


We ask for your thoughts/comments to continue our conversation.