2017-09-19 17:00
D.T.. Suzuki: One of us is enlightened...“Satori is not a morbid state of mind, a fit subject for the study of abnormal psychology. If anything, it is a perfectly normal state of mind… Read More
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2017-09-09 11:19
D.T. Suzuki & the cat: knowing & seeing“We generally think that philosophy is a matter of pure intellect, and, therefore, that the best philosophy comes out of a mind most rich… Read More
2017-08-20 17:00
Does the cat have buddha-nature?The object of Zen discipline consists in acquiring a new viewpoint for looking into the essence of things. If you have been in the habit of thinking logically… Read More
2017-08-06 17:00
Ajahn Chah: Bud-dho, Bud-dho, Bud-dho...Meditate reciting Buddho, Buddho until it penetrates deep into the heart of your consciousness. The word Buddho represents th… Read More
2017-07-22 17:00
Everybody say, "Ah!"The Sutra of the Blessed Perfection of Wisdom, The Mother of All the Tathagatas, in One LetterHomage to the Perfection of Wisdom!Thus have I heard at one time. The Blesse… Read More
2017-07-07 17:00
Keido Fukushima: A smile, and yet not a smile"In the world of philosophy and in the world of common sense, when something exists, it exists, and when something doesn't, it doesn't. That's th… Read More
2017-06-22 17:00
Basho's hut was not his true home...Days and months are travellers of eternity. So are the years that pass by. Those who steer a boat across the sea, or drive a horse over the earth sp… Read More
2017-06-08 17:00
"Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon… Read More
2017-05-24 17:00
Ajahn Sumedho: Without any real core or essenceWe’ll sacrifice our life for an illusion, to try to protect our identities, our positions, our territories. We’re very territorial… Read More
2017-05-09 17:00
Today is Buddha Day, or, to give it its Pali name Visakha Puja, also known as Vesak. This is the day when Buddhists across the globe celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of the… Read More
2017-04-28 15:14
Close your eyes and say, "A."All sentient beings have in the core of their minds a portion of purity which is completely appointed with all practices. Its essence is extremely subtle, clear… Read More
2017-04-28 14:45
D.T. Suzuki: Much ado about nothing?A monk asked Joshu, "What would you say when I come to you with nothing?"Joshu said, "Fling it down to the ground."Protested the monk, "I said that I had… Read More
2017-04-05 06:31
Prajna-paramita-hridaya Sutra(Heart-of-transcendent-wisdom Discourse)When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was engaged in the practice of deep transcendent wisdom, he perceived: there are the… Read More
2017-03-11 17:00
Tagawa Shun'ei - busy becoming Buddha...“Becoming buddha” means that if we make an effort to truly understand the structure and mechanism of our own minds along with its various… Read More
2017-02-24 17:00
Ajahn Chah gets to the heart of the matterOne day, a famous woman lecturer on Buddhist metaphysics came to see AjahnChah. This woman gave periodic teachings in Bangkok on the abhidharma andc… Read More
2017-02-10 17:00
Layman Pang & the sound of two hands clappingLayman Pang asked Reverend Dayu, “In order to help others attain it, Master Mazu dwelt in the fundamental reality. Did he pass this on… Read More
2017-01-26 17:00
Ajahn Chah saw through his 'I'“Our body is unstable, altering and changing constantly. Hair changes, nails change, teeth change, skin changes—everything changes, completely. Our… Read More
2017-01-20 03:55
Jizo statues in Japan are dressed by grieving parents“Grief lasts as long as it lasts. There will always be a hole in your heart that’s the shape of that life, which you knew how… Read More
2016-12-13 17:00
Zen Master Bankei: Gazing from the Unborn"Not a single one of you people at this meeting is unenlightened. Right now, you're all sitting before me as Buddhas. Each of you received the Buddha… Read More
2016-12-02 09:52
Ajahn Sumedho: A smile from the unborn"The statement in the [Buddhist] scripture that really inspired me years ago, that really meant a lot to me a the time:There is the unborn, uncreated, u… Read More
2016-11-14 08:30
Shinran Shonin 親鸞 (1173 – 1263): A deep mindSinglemindedness is deep mind. Deep mind is deep faith. Deep faith is steadfast deep faith. Steadfast deep faith is decis… Read More
2016-11-02 03:55
Think before you speak..."What now, is Right Speech?Herein someone avoids lying and abstains from it. He speaks the truth, is devoted to the truth, reliable, worthy of confidence, not a dece… Read More
2016-10-27 11:38
"Ananda, whatever contemplatives and brahmans who in the past entered & remained in an emptiness that was pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all entered & remained in this very… Read More
2016-10-01 13:46
The bodhisattva vows in JapaneseSentient beings are numberless; I vow to save them all.Desires are inexhaustible; I vow to put them to an end.The teachings are boundless; I vow to master the… Read More
2016-09-05 02:14
Is it the flag or the wind that moves - or your mind?"One monk said that the wind was moving, while another monk said the flag was moving. They argued on and on, so I went forward and said… Read More
2016-08-31 17:00
"Amida Buddha is like a mirror that shows one’s true self."(Professor Kogi Kudara, Ryukoku University, Kyoto)The famous statue of Amida Buddha known as 'Daibutsu' (Great Buddha) is ven… Read More
2016-08-18 01:44
Ajahn Chah: Merit beyond numbersA popular practice in Thailand is to visit a temple and make merit (ทำบุญ / tum-boon in Thai). Thais take much comfort in t… Read More
2016-08-05 01:27
The shouting, sneering faces of modern politics...Watching political leaders, we may despair. They often let us down with unjust laws, unethical deeds and sometimes nepotism. True enough, th… Read More
2016-07-19 14:31
Buddha delivering the First SermonToday is Asalha Puja, when Buddhists recall the giving of the first sermon of Buddha, called ‘The Turning of the Wheel of Dharma Sermon’ (in Pal… Read More
2016-07-11 15:24
"Raindrops keep falling on my head..." Or do they?!Outside – is it raining outside? What is ‘outside’ in current experience? Science teaches us that our five senses collect… Read More
2016-06-18 17:00
Ajahn Brahm: full of mettaA wonderful exponent of metta (goodwill, or 'loving-kindness') is Ajahn Brahmavamso, an Englishman who is abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery in Australia. Ajah… Read More
2016-06-03 17:00
Think you know who you are? Think again!In recent posts, two experiments in awareness have been presented, the first centered on sights, the second on sounds. In this third experiment in awa… Read More
2016-05-19 17:00
With eyes closed, listen to your inner buddha...Following on from a previous post that featured an experiment in awareness, here’s another (albeit brief) exploration of what… Read More
2016-05-10 14:55
Look at what Arnie's pointing at...and be 'terminated!'The central way to establish mindfulness in Theravada Buddhism is through the various satipatthana, or ‘frames for mindfulne… Read More
2016-04-22 08:06
Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆, 1904-1971)Today I am sitting in Los Altos. Tomorrow morning I shall be in San Francisco. There is no connection between the "I" in Los Alto… Read More
2016-04-22 07:54
"O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, in going forwards and in going backwards, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in looking straight on and in looking away from the front, is a person practicin… Read More
2016-03-24 19:53
Walking meditation reveals our true "buddha-feet"Walking meditation is not so very well known in the West, but is a common practice in the traditional forms of Buddhism found in Asia, and is… Read More
2016-03-06 21:08
Knowing the mind leads to freedom“But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the mind?Herein the disciple knows the greedy mind as greedy, and the not greedy mind as not greed… Read More
2016-02-22 13:40
Buddha statue, Wat Pah Nanachat, Ubon, ThailandAbove is a picture of a Buddha statue: observe the really long ears. Attractive, aren't they? Such ears are a sign of a Buddha according to Bud… Read More
2016-02-07 21:11
Watching our emotional masks can be liberating."In experiencing feelings, the disciple knows: ‘I have an agreeable feeling’; or: ‘I have a disagreeable feeling’, or:… Read More
2016-01-23 08:23
Buddha's finger is pointing - at what?The central way to establish mindfulness in Theravada Buddhism is through the various satipatthana, or ‘focuses of mindfulness’, which compr… Read More
2016-01-06 12:04
Buddha's hands in meditation posture“Herein the disciple retires to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to a solitary place, seats himself with legs crossed, body erect, and with min… Read More
2015-12-26 17:00
Buddhas and sentient beings grow out of the One Mind and there are no differences between them. It is like space where there are no complexities, and is not subject to destruction. It is lik… Read More
2015-12-16 17:00
Yoshiro Tamura (1921-1989): Don't be self-ish!The selfish view of the self is a matter of seeing the self as fixed and unchanging, as a kind of absolute, and then seeing and judging other th… Read More
2015-12-06 17:00
Ajan Viradhammo (1947-present): Good intentionsTwo points that I find very helpful in training are: 1) to see cause and effect, and 2) intention. We can always reflect upon cause and effect… Read More
2015-11-26 17:00
Takamaro Shigaraki (信楽 峻麿, 1926 - 2014): Namu Amida Bu(tsu)!When we earnestly call the Buddha’s Name with a fullness of heart while listening to the Dh… Read More
2015-11-16 17:00
Dhammapada, Verses 19 & 20Even though reciting sacred texts,But not acting accordingly,That heedless one is like a cowherdWho only counts others’ cows – He does not partake … Read More
2015-11-06 17:00
Ajahn Jayasaro (1958-present): Know your desires.Buddhism distinguishes two kinds of desire: the first (tanha) to be abandoned and the second (chanda) to be cultivated.Tanha is the desire th… Read More
2015-10-26 17:00
Keiji Nishitani (西谷 啓治, 1900 – 1990)Since Buddhism opens up an altogether revolutionary view of the essential nature of man, it is not surprising that… Read More
2015-10-16 17:00
Budai: Feeling lucky, punk?Many Buddhists like to do stuff for luck. They wear amulets, consult oracles, or ask monks for lottery numbers. Some have statues like the one above and rub his bi… Read More
2015-10-10 11:31
Ajahn Nyanadhammo (1955-present): A kick reminderWhen the Buddha described faith he talked about faith in four aspects; faith in the Buddha, the person who has become fully enlightened in th… Read More
2015-10-10 11:31
Ajahn Nyanadhammo (1955-present): A kick reminderWhen the Buddha described faith he talked about faith in four aspects; faith in the Buddha, the person who has become fully enlightened in th… Read More
2015-09-26 17:00
Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, 1915 – 2006): Horizontal eyes, vertical nose.Trying to grasp one’s self from the outside may be likened metaphoricall… Read More
2015-09-26 17:00
Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, 1915 – 2006): Horizontal eyes, vertical nose.Trying to grasp one’s self from the outside may be likened metaphoricall… Read More
2015-09-16 17:00
Dhammapada, Verses 17 & 18:The evil-doer suffers here and hereafter;He suffers in both worlds.The thought, “I have done evil,” tortures him,And he suffers even more when gone… Read More
2015-09-06 17:00
Ajahn Liem (1941-present): An awakened smileUsually, in our behaviour we start off with our emotions, letting them lead us, just like the people out in the world who think their moods are wh… Read More
2015-08-26 17:00
Yamada Koun (山田 耕雲, 1907—1989): Mu!The story is as you read it: Once a monk asked Joshu, “Does a dog have buddha nature?” Joshu answered, &ldquo&hell…Read More
2015-08-20 16:08
Upaya, ‘skilful mean’s or ‘expedient means,’ is a fundamental aspect of the Buddhadharma (Buddhist teachings). Whatever teachings exist, they are skilful means… Read More
2015-08-06 17:00
Ajahn Munindo (1951-present): Mr. FreedomThere is a church in the middle of Newcastle that has painted on the front doors, ‘Hate all Evil. Love all Good.’ If you were brought up… Read More
2015-07-28 13:51
Red Pine (1943-present): Mr. PrajnaBuddhists distinguish three levels of prajna, or wisdom. The first level is mundane wisdom, which views what is impermanent as permanent, what is impure as… Read More
2015-07-17 10:48
Verses 13 & 14Just as rain breaks throughAn ill-thatched house,So passion penetratesAn undeveloped mind.Just as rain does not break throughA well-thatched house,So passion never penetrat… Read More
2015-07-17 10:47
Dhammapada, Verses 15 & 16:The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter;He grieves in both worlds.He laments and is afflicted,Recollecting his own impure deeds.The doer of good rejoices here… Read More
2015-07-06 17:00
Ajahn Sucitto (1949-present): Mr. KarmaWhat is ‘kamma,’ and what does it have to do with Awakening? Well, as a word, ‘kamma’ is the Pali language version of the Sansk… Read More
2015-06-26 17:00
Soyen Shaku (釈 宗演, 1860 – 1919) A favorite parable used by Buddhists to illustrate the unreality of soul or self (I take these two meaning the same… Read More
2015-06-16 17:00
Grief comes to us all. Perhaps a family member, a partner, a child, a friend or a pet has left you in past few years. Perhaps more than one. This author has lived long enough to see a number… Read More
2015-06-06 17:00
Ajahn Anan (1954-present): A mindful smileWhen we first come to meditate, we will notice quite quickly that even sitting for a minute seems almost impossible. All we get is restlessness and… Read More
2015-05-27 01:20
Shodo Harada (原田 正道, c. 1940): Buddha eyesTwice the terrorists have attacked London, and even now the horror of those attacks has not allowed life to return… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
"When a lay follower possesses five things, he lives with confidence in his house, and he will find himself in heaven as sure as if he had been carried off and put there. What are the five?… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
High Five for Five Precious PreceptsAt the core of Buddha's teachings are the five precepts. These moral undertakings underpin Buddhist practice, giving meditative practices a sound ethical… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
"And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the ending of suffering (dukkha)?It is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Ri… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
"What, now, is the Noble Truth of the Ending of Suffering? It is the complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and abandonment, liberation and detachment from it.But… Read More
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