UnbornMind Zen

Archive for February, 2017

33. Q: What does it mean when a sutra discusses “the twenty-five elements of existence"? A: This indicates the nature of undergoing future rebirth or incarnations within the six realms of impermanence. Because of a delusion-filled existence during their life-cycles sentient beings become heavily laden with all manner of karmic aftereffects, and thus experience future rebirths commensurate with these karmic ramifications—reincarnation. However, if in one’s present life-cycle one is determined Read more [...]

28. Q: It’s stated that the eight consciousnesses are turned into the Four Wisdoms, and then the Four Wisdoms bind together forming the trikaya; which, then, of these eight states will pool together to form one Buddha-wisdom and then, which Wisdoms are then said to be the transformation into One Consciousness? A: The five senses (smell, taste, etc.) relate to the five states of consciousness thereby forming the Perfecting Wisdom. Intellect (sixth state), or the mental consciousness, becomes Read more [...]

22. Q: It says in the Precepts of the Bodhisattvas: “When sentient beings contemplate the Buddha Principle, they then assume the stature of all Buddhas, which is analogous to the Great Enlightenment; in so doing they become noble children of the Buddhas.” Please explain. A: The Buddha Principle signifies perfect clarity and purity of mind. In undertaking this perfect nonattachment, one then transcends all skandhic obstructions and thus fully recognizes the Buddha Principle. All of the preceding Read more [...]

18. Q: What does it mean when The Mahaparinirvana Sutra states, “Excessive Dhyana over and above Wisdom issues in more ignorance (avidya), yet at the same time excessive wisdom canceling-out quality time spent in Dhyana leads to the issuance of wrong-views; however when Dhyana and Wisdom are equally observed best procures liberation? A: Right Wisdom best discerns between good and evil, while Dhyana demonstrates that in marking these discernments one remains wholeheartedly unattached and undefiled, Read more [...]

15. Q: It states in The Vaipulya Sutra that there are five kinds of Dharmakaya: The Dharmakaya of the Absolute; the Dharmakaya of merit; the Dharmakaya of the Dharma-nature; the Dharmakaya of Infinite Transformations; and the Dharmakaya of voidness. Which of these is in reference to our own bodies? A: To arrive at the awareness that Mind can neither be created nor destroyed is the hallmark of the Dharmakaya of the Absolute. To awaken to the realization that Mind encompasses all things is known Read more [...]

11. Q: You stated that Right Gnosis is the function of the Gateless Gate of Spontaneous Illumination—what do you mean by Gnosis? A: The Gnosis that empowers one to break free from the chains of all duality. Its function is the very nature of voidness which is representative of the all-encompassing Substance; IT is free (void) from all that IT is not, whilst also celebrating the Fullness of Its own creative actuosity; thus the substance that undividedly generates non-dual Gnosis itself. Read more [...]

7. Q: When a sound is made, there is said to be the sense of hearing. When no sound is present, does one still have this sense of hearing? A: The sense of hearing is limited to those worldlings who have no avenue to the Unborn. For those who are Bodhiminded, there is more than just the sense of hearing, there is true inner-listening. Q: How can one have this inner-listening if there is nothing present to listen to? A: In procuring the inner-Dharma ear, one must first put on the Unborn Buddha Read more [...]

3. Q: Where does the Unborn Mind dwell? A: Dwelling in imageless non-abiding is Its True Abode. Q: What is this imageless non-abiding? A: Imagelessness means abiding in no-thing, whether good or evil, being or non-being, neither within nor without, nor somewhere in-between. This is the meaning of being beyond the void of voidness, since there is really nothing to settle-in nor avoid. In this fashion one IS within the motionless-Unborn Mind that dwells neither here nor there, but everywhere Read more [...]

Shastra on the Importance of Entering the Path of Spontaneous Awakening 1. I reverently bow before all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the Ten Directions, as well as all Awakened Beings who espouse the Bodhimind. In composing this humble Shastra, I am aware that, indirectly, certain deficiencies may disrupt the pristine eminence of the True Nature of the Unborn Mind. If this be so, I pray that the intercession of the Blessed Tathāgata may intervene to reveal the unobstructed Buddhagnosis Read more [...]

The renowned teacher of Huangbo and Linzi, Dazhu Huihai lived and taught during the Tang dynasty in the late eighth century. While any official dating of his birth is unknown, he was born in Jianzhou in Southeast China and became a monk at Daozhiego in the monastery Dayun in Yuezhou. He later journeyed to Jiangxi where he studied with the great master Mazu, a disciple of the sixth patriarch Huineng, for six years. It was with Mazu that his great transformation occurred, most notably through his Read more [...]