UnbornMind Zen is a derivative of Ch’an Buddhism, with a special emphasis upon the sacred text of the Lankavatara Sutra. As Lankavatarians, our foundation is based on the ancient mantra, “What the Mind focuses on determines its Reality”; in league with Cittamatra, or the Mind Only school of Zen Buddhism, our ancient practice also has as its essential root the mystical nuance of the Tathāgatagarbha—i.e, the Sacred Buddhaic Womb of Suchness and its highly, mystically charged seed, or gotra (referred to as the Bodhi-child). Unlike modern Buddhist notions, we hold that while this bodhiseed (Buddha nature) resides within all sentient reality, its potential remains dormant until activated through a ten-fold methodology that highlights a process of Recollecting the very vivifying “Source” of one’s Unborn, Original Nature. Along the way, the novice begins to intuitively savor the luminous presence of Bodhipower, or the undivided awareness power of the awakened Unborn Buddha Mind. This is the mystical “juice” that is conferred within the auspicious light of the self-realization of Noble Wisdom that is at the very heart of the Lankavatara Sutra.
The Lankavatara Sutra itself best sums up this mystic-gnosis process: “Perceiving that the triple existence is by reason of the habit energy of erroneous discrimination and false reasoning that has been going on since beginningless time, and also recollecting the state of Buddhahood that is imageless and unborn, the Bodhisattva (dormant garbha-child) will become thoroughly conversant with the noble truth of self-realization; will also become a perfect master of one’s own mind, will conduct oneself without effort, will be like a gem reflecting a variety of colors, will be able to assume the body of transformation, will be able to enter into the subtle minds of all beings, and because of one’s firm belief in the truth of Mind Only, will, by gradually ascending the stages, become established in Buddhahood.”
Here, within this little electronic refuge and monastery, we explore the inner-reality, like spiritual anchorites (ἀναχωρέω), choosing to withdraw from the mundane affairs of samsara in order to devote oneself to lead a life of intense meditation and dharma-study, in light of the Buddhadharma. The belief here, is that the inner (εσωτερικός) core of Reality, or the Dharmadhātu, points directly to one’s union with the Unborn Mind and Spirit.
