Monthly Archives: April 2013

Tozen: Entrance into the Absolute Reality of your True Self

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Tozen

If you focus on what is Mind Only, eg. Mind Unborn, no one can teach you anything of value outside the complete preview of this Mind. read more

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Eremitical Dhyani Meditations

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Vajragoni

Over the course of living the Lankavatarian eremitical lifestyle, I have been discerning the value of developing a type of monastic-rhythm to the day. A good rule of thumb is to pay homage to the Five Dhyani Buddhas. Their transforming energies, in particular through counteracting the five skandhas, are most helpful in generating the Bodhi Recollective Resolve. This also strengthens one’s Sambodhic-link with the Tathagatas thus continually energizing bodhicitta. I’ve discovered that being mindful of their radiating “juice” over the course of the day helps to alleviate the toxic and ill-effects of samsara. It’s almost like transporting oneself to their serene and tranquil Buddha-fields. What follows is the regimen of my day: read more

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The Three Pillars of Tathagatagarbha Zen

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Vajragoni

The Three Pillars of Tathagatagarbha Zen:

Great obeisance to the blessed Ârya-prajñâ-pâramitâ (perfection of Noble Wisdom) read more

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Allegiance to the Real

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Vajragoni

Selections from The Bodhidharma Anthology

[As the classic theoretician of the practice of gazing at the topic states, in this method the trainee is not to employ discriminative understanding, doctrinal understanding, thinking or calculation, intuition, verbal strategy, absolute nonchalance, engagement, analysis of the words, or anything else; one should simply “twenty-four hours a day and in all four postures constantly raise up the topic and constantly be aware of it.”] read more

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The Living Flame of the Unborn

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Vajragoni

John of the Cross (1542-1591)

This Carmelite mystic, a true Black Dragon, once whispered the following—intended as an antidote for those afflicted by endless yearnings; with one paraphrased nuance: read more

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Who’s That Wriggling in Your Shoe?

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Vajragoni

From Zen Master Keizan’s Transmission of Light (All passages taken from The Denkōroku: The Record of the Transmission of the Light; all Capitalized words are representative of THAT WHICH IS UNBORN, UNCOMPOSED, UNDYING and UNCREATED ) read more

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Light Triumphant

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Vajragoni

Zen Master Ejo

Not fearing life and death is because of not seeing oneself. Not seeing oneself means not being self-conscious, not having a self-image. The light of great wisdom is thus impersonal, so the verse says that wisdom is Buddha. read more

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The Four Sufferings

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Vajragoni

Shanhui (497-569)

Poems of the Four States:

I.Birth

Relying upon the ovum, consciousness arises,
birth arises from love and desire.
In a time now past he grew up,
today he returns as a child.
The stars follow the cycle of human life,
red lips open for milk.
Because we are deluded to our true Dharma nature,
We still suffer in the cycle of birth and death.
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For Suchness Sake

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Vajragoni

More from Tōzan

One day Dungshan said goodbye to Master Yunyan. Yunyan asked, “Where are you going?”
“Although I’m leaving the master, I don’t know where I’ll end up.”
“Aren’t you going to Hunan?”
“No.”
“Going to your native place?”
“No.”
“When will you be back?”
“When you have a place to stay (i.e. heading a monastery) then I’ll be back.”
“Now that we part, it’ll be difficult to meet again.”
“It’ll be difficult not to meet again.” read more

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Sea-Slug Dharma

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Vajragoni

Master Dongshan Liangjie  (807-869  Jpn.: Tōzan Ryōkai)

-The Nonsentient Expounds the Dharma- read more

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