UnbornMind Zen

Archive for February, 2020

Ash Wednesday has always been profoundly deep-rooted in my being. Perhaps no other date on the Catholic calendar induces such a sense of somberness that millions (mostly non-practicing Catholics) are obsessed to go to church to get those ashes splayed across their foreheads. While that particular liturgical action no longer holds any stock for me, the solemn season of Lent that it ushers in does prove to have an enduring quality. If one were to search the archives here at Unborn Mind Zen, you Read more [...]

Generally when one considers “Engaged Buddhism” one thinks of the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh or perhaps the writings of Stephen Batchelor and his secular-oriented bent. One can think of many others like Robert Thurman or even the earlier writings of Walpola Rahula. Of course the list can go on incorporating the tradition of Theravada Buddhism and more mainstream Mahayana Buddhism. For this blog I’d like to focus on the writings of Ken Jones, particularly his “Buddhism and Social Action”, Read more [...]

Mind to Mind transmission is not about [somehow] coming to meet [itself] as in a mirror—like an objective face staring back at itself. Mind in itself does not need to have a transmission with itself, the very suggestion sound’s rather schizophrenic in nature, most juvenile!  “Mind coming to know itself?” Silly, reminds me of that song from the musical, The King and I--“Getting to know you, getting to know all about you. Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me. Getting to know Read more [...]

Welcome to our new look! For this new decade have decided to return to the feel of our original theme from 2011, with a few variables. This theme is known as parchment. Love the ancient feel to it. I like our new format, less dark and perhaps easier on the eyes. Enjoy!   Read more [...]

It needs to be stressed that Buddhism takes a very different stance on the notion of time and its effect on sentient beings. In Christianity there is a triadic-understanding: a person is born at one particular junction in time-based reality, then undergoes a certain trial-based system in which he/she must perform in a moral manner to be made worthy of entering into—eternal life in which they depart from this world in order to enter eternally into God's "heaven". So it’s essentially going Read more [...]

Laura Iverson Suppose you were to awaken one day and discover that what you once conceived to be “you” unraveled and revealed itself to be a combination of five different parts all vying for attention: a concretized formal entity that is comprised of sensate impressions; these sensate impressions suddenly branch out and perceive its apparent environment through the medium of conflicting pleasurable or disagreeable feelings; suddenly the scene shifts again as everything undergoes a morphosis Read more [...]

When one considers adultery, it is usually in the carnal sense, such as in having an adulterous affair. There are other forms of adultery, i.e., psychic adultery and spiritual adultery. Our focus for today is on the latter two. Psychic adultery consists of using occult means to gain control and power over another. For instance, utilizing telepathy, or the ability to manipulate the thoughts of others, especially in an offensive way—implanting a thought of low self-worth or even driving someone Read more [...]

Returning once again to Wangchuk's study, he marvelously breaks down the very Typology of Bodhicitta. First up for today is the Grand Gnoseological bodhicitta: 1) Gnoseological bodhicitta is nonconceptual (nirvikalpa: rnam par mi rtog pa) by nature. Its origin comes from the deepest recesses of the bodhicittapada, the self-awakened and compassionate Mindseal. As such, it is inconceivable. 2) It is undefiled (anāsrava: zag pa med pa). It is no longer subject to the ills of saṃsāra. This Read more [...]

A little biographical sketch of todays favored Ch’an Master, from Suzuki's Manual of Zen Buddhism: Shih−t'ou (Sekito) (700-790) whose family name was Chen came from the district of Tuan−chou. His other name was Hsi−ch'ien. While still young, his religious feeling was strongly stirred against a barbarous custom which was practiced among the Liao race. The custom consisted in sacrificing bulls in order to appease the wrath of the evil spirits which were worshipped by the people. Shih−t'ou Read more [...]

Shambhala, once the proud publishers of Pocket Books such as The Zen Teachings of Huang Po, are now mass-publishers of love, empathy and caring—or in other words, your ever-prevalent new age bookstore. In my email box are incessant titles of stuff such as "Seeking out Deeper Connections”, the deep as in the emotional garbage that is the sewer-hole of our mass-infected world, and connections as in wounded souls seeking incessant solace and surface sharing and stroking. The popular guru on Read more [...]