The birds have vanished into the sky,and now the last cloud drains away. We sit together, the mountain and me,until only the mountain remains. from Endless River: Li Po and Tu Fu: A Friendship in Poetry, Translated by Sam Hami. This is so evocative. A truly beautiful image, of Li Po sitting *with* the mountain, […]
Li Bai / Li Po – The Birds Have Vanished Into The Sky Read Post »
The winds have died, but flowers go on falling; birds call, but silence penetrates each song. The Mystery! Unknowable, unlearnable. The virtue of Kannon. Ryokan These incomparable words express so eloquently the mystery of inseparable emptiness and appearances. It’s also a stunning reflection on transience and the Deathless. How he holds both sets of seeming
Ryokan – The Winds have Died Read Post »
The great achievements of the world are but snowflakes melting on fire, Accomplishments that move oceans are but dew disappearing in the glare of the sun, Why live a dream in this ethereal life of dreams, I forsake all to walk towards the great eternal truth. Toeong SeongcheolKorean Seon (Zen) Master – on becoming a
Seongcheol – Snowflakes Melting on Fire Read Post »
Some reflections on a dialogue between Chinul (also known as Bojo, and Jinul), a 12th century Korean master and one of his students: Question: In our case, what is this mind of void and calm, numinous awareness? Chinul: What has just asked me this question is precisely your mind of void and calm, numinous awareness.
Reflections on Chinul – Pointing to your Original Mind Read Post »
At night, deep in the mountains I sit in zazen. The affairs of men never reach me here. In the stillness I sit on a cushion across from the empty window. The incense has been swallowed up by the endless night; My robe has become a garment of white dew. Unable to sleep, I walk
Reflections on Ryokan – At Night, Deep in the Mountains Read Post »
After a particularly strong meditation experience this weekend, I was reflecting on one aspect of Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. In meditation, my sense of all dharmas being Empty was clearer than is often the case. There was nothing I could latch onto, nothing that I could hold in my mind which didn’t melt away as
Big Doubt and Groundlessness Read Post »
Following on from the post: Is Zen Vajrayana? I believe there are various tradtions in Zen. Some of them may use result as a path. This is a really interesting question. I don’t think that any of the traditions practice result as path in the sense that Vajrayana teachings teach it. However, interestingly enough, Soto
Soto and Rinzai Zen – Sutra, Tantra and Essence Mahamudra Read Post »
Hi, is Zen considered a Vajrayana ‘way’? I would say that it isn’t when considered by the most important criteria. If the major factor which distinguishes the Vajrayana from Mahayana and Hinayana is the fact that it uses the result as the path, whereas the other two yanas use the cause as the path, then
