Monthly Archives: January 2016

Cutting down the tree of birth, death and rebirth

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Tozen

Unless you are completely disenchanted with the cycle of birth, death and rebirth at the deepest level of your subconsciousness, the sublime and liberating light of the Buddhadharma will be lost on you. read more

Posted in Tozen Teaching | Tagged Birth, Death, liberation, rebirth, suffering | 1 Comment

The Vajrasamādhi Sutra: Epilogue

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Vajragoni

The Eighth Chapter is essentially a recap of prior-material, originally utilized to remove any doubts as to all that transpired. It also promises that if one faithfully abides in the sutra’s precepts, then all further mind obstructions will be completely eradicated: read more

Posted in Spirituality, The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged adamantine contemplation, dhyānapāramitā, Jr, Robert E. Buswell, Upāsakaśīla-sutra | 1 Comment

The Single-Taste

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Seven: The Tathagatagarbha

This chapter tells the story of how the Store-House of the Tathāgatas (Tathagatagarbha) is the Essence of the One True Dharma. All other dharmas partake in this one single-taste. read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged dharma of nothingness, drama-less Dharma, single-taste, Tathāgatagarbha, the four wisdoms, three practices, three samadhis | 4 Comments

The Generation and Cultivation of the Bodhi-Seed

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Six: The True Nature of the Void, Con’t

Sariputra said, “[As the spiritual path of] all sentient beings begin as iccantikas (persons blocked from enlightenment). In order to attain the [level of] the tathagatas’ and the tathagatas’ absolute characteristics [of anuttara-samyaksambodhi (complete, perfect enlightenment)] how should the mind of an icchantika abide?” read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged Bodhi-Child, Dharmakaya Sutra, icchantika, Mahabodhicitta, Nirabhasagocara, Signless-generation, Ten Faiths, yathābhūtaparijñāna | Leave a comment

The Principle of Thusness

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Six: The True Nature of the Void

Then Sariputra addressed the Buddha: “Lord! The cultivation of the bodhisattva path is free of both signs and characteristics. The three moral precepts (abandoning all evils, doing all good and liberating all sentient beings) are also beyond observance. How should we maintain and observe [the precepts] so that we can transmit them to sentient beings? May the Buddha proclaim this for us, out of his mercy and compassion.” read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged sea of Bodhi and wisdom, Thusness | Leave a comment

Tathāgatadhyāna

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Five: Accessing the Edge of Reality, con’t

Mahabala Bodhisattva asked, “What are the six practices? Please kindly explain.” read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged bodhimanda, icchantika, supramoral, Tathagata-dhyana, Tathagatagarbha-Buddha, three liberations | Leave a comment

The Dharma of Absolute Thusness

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Five: Accessing the Edge of Reality, con’t

Bodhisattva, the Dharma which thus accesses is not devoid of characteristics; and the Dharma itself is not void. That Dharma is [in fact] all-pervading. Why? The Dharmas (the Buddha’s definitive teachings) which are not nonexistent are replete with merits. They are beyond [the creations of] the mind and its shadows. They are naturally pure (please see the Buddha’s explanation later).” read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged King of Space, six dyads, Tathagatakaya, The Dharma of Absolute Thusness | 1 Comment

The Five Voids

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Five: Accessing the Edge of Reality

Later the Tathagata stated: “All the bodhisattvas and the others [in the assembly] who have deeply accessed the Absolute will be capable of liberating sentient beings. During the Dharma-degenerating age, they must disseminate the Absolute Dharma so that the listeners can reap the benefit of Self-Benediction, irrespective of whether the beings are sympathetic or unsympathetic [towards the Dharma]. The speech (teaching) should be done without abidance, be it through identification or differentiation (without bias). read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged access of practice, access of principle, Dark Tara, Edge of Reality, five voids, Great Power | 8 Comments

The Golden Coin

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Vajragoni

Chapter Four: The Benediction of Self-Enlightenment, con’t

Apratisthia Bodhisattva said, “The Tathagata has explained that the sacred power of the One-Enlightenment [where] the four wisdoms (mentioned in the last paragraph) [are perfected] are in fact the self-enlightened nature of all sentient beings. Why? Because these are fully replete within the bodies of all sentient beings basically.” read more

Posted in The Vajrasamādhi Sutra | Tagged amala consciousness, bodhimanda, Golden Coin, Holy Vajra, Primordial Nirvana, Self-Benediction | Leave a comment

The light of compassion

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Tozen

A mind of great honor, moderation and intelligence is not necessarily a mind of foolish shortsightedness, nor is it one poor in compassion and humor. read more

Posted in Tozen Teaching | Tagged Bodhisattva, Dharma, dharmakaya, light, Mind, Tozen, Unborn | Leave a comment