Tag Archives: dream

A Dream Within A Dream

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Vajragoni

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream (Edgar Allan Poe)

Nothing, whatsoever, is born either of itself or of another. Nothing is ever produced whether it be being or a non-being or both being and non-being. read more

Posted in Māṇḍukya Kārikā | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Worm of Attachment

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Vajragoni


Michael Page

“There is not one among the good teachers from ancient times up to the present who hasn’t said that there is no Buddha existing outside of the mind. Though it is clear from this that all phenomena are delusion, I am not able to let go of the belief in the existence of phenomena. Is this a result of lingering habits from my mind?”  read more

Posted in Mud and Water: Bassui Zen | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

(45) A Dark Waltz

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Vajragoni

Is it wise to dance in the darkness of your own makings?

If so, how can any path of knowledge aid yourself to dance beyond such clouds of delusion? read more

Posted in The Dragon Mind of Zen Tarot | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

(4) IT

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Vajragoni

Like the moon above your heads.
Such is the Buddha Mind or your true nature.
Reflecting itself in the waters of your desires and dependent origination.
By its power and your deluded desires you have formed a false body.
Thus, you abide in this entrapment.
You are nothing but a dream of the Buddhas.
With all that follows it.
Great suffering and brief periods of joy.
Through eons and eons.
Until the final awakening.
So why don’t you realize the impermanent nature of this dream.
If you seek proof, watch how it moves your hands or tongue.
Even heartbeats and breath.
Always there, one step ahead.
Watch IT illuminate countless thoughts and Secret Dreams.
By refusing to realize this, you are getting deeper and deeper into that inevitable web of pain. read more

Posted in The Dragon Mind of Zen Tarot | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Colin Wilson, (1931-2013)

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Vajragoni

Just discovered that my favorite author, Colin Wilson, passed-away recently; I’ve made reference to Wilson’s work in the past within some of these blog posts. Became acquainted with his writings as a teen in the 1970’s and his work was most influential for my young spiritual development at the time. I also had the privilege of attending one of his workshops at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY in 1990. He was a leading herald for new existential-evolutionary advancements in consciousness and his eclectic style has always been a source of inspiration. It truly feels like I’ve lost a close friend. The following is an in-depth obit: read more

Posted in Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tozen: Facing the dilemma of the fourth noble truth

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Tozen

“Master, please tell me. What is the difference between the material body-mind
and the spiritual one? I know I am supposed to cut through the dialectical mind
with your koans, directly seeing for myself what truth is, but I would
appreciate a basic simple explanation to my dilemma, which i share with my
lesser able brothers and sisters in the sangha. Is a fair answer to this inquiry
possible at all?” read more

Posted in Tozen Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tozen: The path of a good zen-buddhist

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Tozen

The path of a good zen-buddhist demands an equal measure of grit, talent and luck.
Without the hard introductory work and basics of making the monkey mind go quiescent, we will not be able to notice the essence of the most sublime and subtle dharma within us. read more

Posted in Tozen Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shadows on the Wall

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Vajragoni

Thirty-two: Shadows on the Wall

[Gemmell & Mu Soeng]

The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying : “If a disciple, having immeasurable spheres filled with the seven treasures, bestowed these in the exercise of charity; and if a disciple, whether man or woman, having aspired to supreme spiritual wisdom, selected from this Scripture a stanza comprising four lines, then rigorously observed it, studied it, and diligently explained it to others; the cumulative merit of such a disciple would be relatively greater than the other.”  read more

Posted in The Diamond Sutra, Zen | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment