Category Archives: The Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening

No-Thought

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 … Continue reading

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The Four Wisdoms

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 … Continue reading

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The Buddha Principle

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 … Continue reading

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The Nature of Dhyana

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 … Continue reading

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The Dharmakaya of the Buddhadharma

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 … Continue reading

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The Three Methods

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 … Continue reading

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Being Bodhiminded

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 … Continue reading

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Non-Abidance

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, … Continue reading

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Spontaneous Illumination

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, … Continue reading

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The Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening

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 … Continue reading

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