The Lotus Sutra and Tendai Teachings

Anybody can attain Buddhahood

The Tendai teachings are based on Tiantai Dashi Zhi-yi’s (Tendai Daishi Chigi in Japanese, 538-597) interpretation of the Lotus Sūtra. Zhiyi was active in the Chen (557-589) and Sui (589-617) Dynasties.

The Lotus Sūtra has 28 chapters. Zhiyi divided the Lotus Sūtra into two parts-the first half 14 chapters and the latter 14 chapters. In the first 14 chapters, the Lotus Sūtra expounds the idea that anybody can become a Buddha, and the latter 14 chapters reveal the eternality of Shakyamuni Buddha and the universality of the Buddha’s teachings.

The first half of the Lotus Sūtra expounds that the gateway that leads sentient beings to attain enlightenment is open for anybody. Tiantai Dashi called it the “Ichijō” (the One Vehicle; the single path to enlightenment to be taken by all living beings) to contrast it with the “Sanjō”(the three vehicles) hold that there are people who are unable to attain Buddhahood. The Lotus Sūtra teaches that

“Many Buddhas and Shakyamuni Buddha for one great cause alone appear in this world. That is to say they appeared in order that anybody could see these buddhas and to purify their minds. These Buddhas appeared in our world to make us understand what a Buddha is and to enable us to become Buddhas.”

And for the purpose of substantiating this, the worldview of the Buddha’s great compassion is expressed. This expression was first revealed in the Lotus Sūtra.

Everything and everyone exists in this world for a purpose, without discrimination or confrontation. Everything plays an important role in constituting our community and this world that we live in. Everything exists equally because everybody and all sentient beings have the possibility to attain enlightenment. Therefore, essentially there is no discrimination in the Sanjō (the three vehicles). Shakyamuni Buddha guaranteed that anybody can attain Buddhahood.

This is the main point of the first 14 chapters in the Lotus Sūtra. We should follow the Buddha’s teachings, realize that we have infinite possibilities to become Buddhas, and spend our daily life working toward this vast and high ideal.

The Buddha and his teachings will stay with us forever

Why did Shakyamuni Buddha pass into Nirvāna (the final goal of Buddhist aspiration and practice, where evil passions are extinguished and the highest wisdom attained), and what should guide his disciples in their pursuit of the path to Buddhahood after his death? The second half of the Lotus Sūtra answers these questions.

Why did Shakyamuni Buddha pass into Nirvāna even though he manifested in this world for the sake of saving all sentient beings? The Lotus Sūtra expounds as follows:

“If Shakyamuni Buddha were to live in this world forever, all sentient beings would set their minds at ease, and then they would be lazy with conceit. If they feel that they can hear his preaching anytime they please, then delight at hearing the teachings would not flow forth from them. Accordingly, Shakyamuni Buddha tried to lead them to Buddhahood by disappearing from this world and making them believe he had passed into Nirvāna.”

Shakyamuni Buddha has passed into Nirvāna, however, he continues to preach to us even now. We sentient beings can feel and touch the Buddha’s great compassion through reading the Lotus Sūtra.

The Buddha’s wisdom and compassion

The contemporary Tendai Denomination seeks to carry out the practice in our daily life of the ultimate form of compassion in accordance with Saichō’s words, “doing good for others first and leaving ourself till later, this spirit is the ultimate expression of compassion.” Compassion is the basic spirit for practicing the teachings of Buddha. The word compassion originated from the words for friendship and sympathy. There is the truth that all living things must die. We often tend to forget this truth. All living things will die no matter what the joys of life may bring now. This gives rise to grief. So, thoughtful consideration of all living beings will be needed. This is the ideal world of Buddhists where self and others are totally equal without any discrimination. To wish for the perfect equality of all living beings and to pray for their fulfilling lives is the essence of Buddhism.

The Lotus Sūtra, the most important sūtra in Tendai, preaches that Buddhists should have a tender and forbearing heart, should wear the compassionate robe of the Buddha, sit on the compassionate throne of the Buddha, and abide in the compassionate room of the Buddha. Also it preaches that those who practice such teachings may encounter persecution and have stones hurled at them. It is very difficult to practice this compassion, so some might say it is nothing but an ideal. But to take advance step by step toward this ideal must be the mission of Buddhism.

The Practices of Bodhisattvas

What should we who were born into this world as human beings do? Dengyō Daishi Saichō said “we should do the practices of bodhisattvas.” Bodhisattvas are those who devote themselves to the pursuit of Buddhahood. The most important practice of a bodhisattva is to do good for others while forgetting self. If one steadily practices, desires and attachments for things will be lessened gradually, and we will come to look upon others as on ourselves, without discrimination. This brings one close to the enlightenment of Buddhahood. A bodhisattva gives to others the virtue and merits of his pious acts or practices. Thus, bodhisattvas draw near to enlightenment through giving others the virtue and merits of practice, and taking joy in the act of giving.

Dengyō Daishi swore to devote himself to the pursuit of bodhisattva practices in our society and in his life, and preached to us that we should live as human beings like that.

[SOURCE]

 

Preface to "Dengyo Daishi's Life and Teachings"

The year 2006 was memorable to Tendai because it was the 1200th year since Tendai Buddhism was authorized as an officially recognized Buddhist School by the Japanese Imperial court on January 26th, 806 C.E.. Dengyō Daishi (Saichō), the founder of Japanese Tendai Buddhism, believed in the teaching of Ekayana (One Vehicle); everyone is equal and anyone can attain spiritual awakening. He was authorized to educate and train monks to spread this teachings based on One Vehicle.

Dengyō Daishi’s wish was for official recognition of Tendai, and along with that, each school of Buddhism in Japan at that time co-exists in order to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. Because of this, when the imperial court authorized Tendai, the court also established the number of monks for each school of Buddhism.

Since then, Tendai has transmitted the Light of the Dharma, the teaching of Dengyō Daishi, for 1200 years, producing many schools of Buddhism. Mt. Hiei is known as the Mother Mountain of Japanese Buddhism, and has been an important source of Japanese culture.

Dengyo Daishi's Life and Teachings

 “What is the treasure of a nation? It is the spirit seeking for the Buddha Path.” This is a well-known statement made 1,200 years ago by Dengyō-Daishi Saichō (766 or 767-822), founder of the Japanese Tendai Denomination. The words mean that only those who bring into full play their abilities in accordance with their positions and surroundings, refrain from selfishly seeking personal gains, and ceaselessly work for the welfare of others, are truly assets to a nation. Sachō also said that we should shake ourselves free from our own worldly desires. His objective was to have us, both Buddhist priests and lay people, exercise our faculties to be this treasure.

Saichō was born in the year Tenpyō-jingo 2 (766 A.D.) in Ōmi, present-day Ōhtsu City, Shiga Prefecture. He was called Hirono during his youth. According to the family register, the date of his birth was in 766, but another version said in the year Jingo-keiun 1 (767).

His father was called Mitsu no Obito Momoe. His ancestors were said to be the descendants of the emperors of the post-Han Dynasty (25-220) in China. At the age of 13, he went to the Kokubunji Temple in Ōmi to become a disciple of Gyōhyō. He was allowed to attend the ceremony of entrance to the Buddhist priesthood and became a novice at 14. This was the first step in the process of government certification. Then he started to study Buddhism in earnest. On this occasion, he received the Buddhist name Saichō.

In the fourth month (according to lunar calendar) of Enryaku 4 (785), the then 20-year-old Saichō received the Small Vehicle precepts at Tōdaiji Temple in Nara to qualify as an official priest. In a sense he had embarked on the path of a promising young monk, a member of the elite in the capital city of Nara. Only three months after receiving the precepts, however, he retreated to Mt. Hiei. Mt. Hiei, located near Saichō’s homeland, was known as a sacred mountain from olden times. There are still many opinions about his motives for retreating to Mt. Hiei. One of the most credible of these is that he fully understood the impermanence of worldly things in Nara and he retreated to the mountain in order to engage in intense self-reflection. He believed that his understanding of Buddhism was still shallow, so he was determined to pursue further studies on Mt. Hiei, which was close to his hometown and had been known as the dwelling place of Kami (Japanese spirits and gods) and Buddhas since ancient times.

Shortly after moving to the mountain, Saichō took five vows, which are found in his Ganmon (Vows: Saichō’s Prayer), to show his determination to perfect his study and practice.

1. So long as I have not attained the stage where my eyes and heart are pure and close to Buddha, I will not venture out into the world.

2. So long as I have not realized the absolute, I will not acquire any other teachings except for Buddha’s.

3. So long as I have not kept the precepts purely, I will not participate in any ceremonies for lay donors.

4. So long as I have not attained the Buddha’s wisdom free from any attachment, I will not participate in worldly affairs.

5. May any merit from my practice in the present be given not to me, but to all sentient beings so that they may attain supreme enlightenment.

 We Can see his very serious will through these vows.

Saichō moved to Mt. Hiei and devoted himself to the study of Buddhism. Gradually, many monks gathered around him. In the year Enryaku 7 (788), Saichō decided to establish the Hieizanji Temple on Mt. Hiei as a new fundamental practice hall based upon Tendai teachings. Saichō carved an image of Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), and enshrined it in the hall. On this occasion, he lit a lamp, dedicated it to Yakushi, and prayed that this light would burn eternally. This Dharma Lamp has been burning over 1,200 years in the Konpon Chūdō Hall. It is called the Fumetsu-no-Hōtō which means the inextinguishable Dharma Lamp. At first this hall was called Ichijō-shikanin, and later became Konpon Chūdō.

 

The Heavens of Meditation

There are three parts:

1. The Four Meditations in the Realm of Form (Rupa-Dhatu)

2. The Four Meditations in the Realm of Formlessness (Arupa-Dhatu)

3. The Cessation (Nirodha Samapatti)

The Four Meditations in the Realm of Form

The fours basic levels of meditation (S. Dhyana) are in the realm of form, pure of the distractions of sensory desire. One progressively sublimates the senses. It has been likened to a turtle that withdraws its head and legs into its shell. Each progressive stage is a more pure state of Samadhi (mental concentration). They are:

The First Basic Meditation:

The stage of bliss that comes from detachment and freedom from emotional distress (klesas) - This emotional distress includes evil desires (origination, karmic causes) and evil states or conditions (sufferings, retributions).

1. Vitarka - Awakening - Initial attention, application of cognitive thought onto an object.

It is likened to a bee hovering about a flower

2. Vicara - Observation -  Continuous, sustained observation on an object, entailing a cognitive, analytical scrutiny of it & discerment of reality from falsehood (pravicaya-dharma). It is likened to a bee landing on a flower and gathering its pollen

3. Priti - Joy - An ecstatic, emotional feeling of knowing, revelation & oneness with an object. It is not a cognitive state but rather an affective and intuitive state of mind.

4. Sukha - Contentment - A more sublime affective and intuitive state of knowing and familiarization with an object of meditation. It is a less emotional, more refined state of bliss.

5. Samadhi - Concentration - Singless of mind, complete focus, and pure mental concentration

The First Basic Meditation has the least strength of Samadhi.

The first two steps are cognitive/verbal states of mind whereas the second two are affective/intuitive. Each state of mind is more sublime than the preceding state. The affective states of mind are subtler than the cognitive states, with contentment being subtler than rejoicing. Only the single mind is completely pure.

The Second Basic Meditation:

The stage of bliss that comes from the sublimation of the cognitive functions of the mind - There is gradual withdrawal of the cognitive states of mind so that there is only concentration and the affective states of mind.

First the wandering, initial attention (vitarka) is sublimtaed, then the more subtle, sustained scrutiny is eliminated.

In sublimating the initial attention (vitarka) and the sustained thought (vicara) one further purifies singleness of mind (Samadhi). One's concentration will continue to produce the affective states of joy and contentment without the cognitive functions.

1. Visuddhi - Inner Purity - Becoming purified of the applied cognitive thought (vitarka) and then becoming purified of the sustained cognitive thought (vicara).

2. Priti  - Joy - Feekings of ecstasy and revelation as one is able to transcend the verbal, cognitive states of mind and enter deeper levels of concentration

3.  Sukha - Contentment - New levels of refined bliss

4.  Samadhi - Concentration - Singlenes of mind, pure mental concentration

The Second Basic Meditation has greater strength of Samadhi.

The cognitive, verbal states of mind are eliminated and consequently there is greater singleness of mind.

The Third Basic Meditation:

A state of refined bliss. One lets go of the ecstatic emotions of joy and abides in mindfulness (a steady, continuous presence of mind), spiritual insight, & concentration of mind. One continues to feel the less intense & more sublime affective state of bliss.

1. Prasrabdhi - Renunciation - Letting go; sublimating the ecstatic emotions of joy

2. Smriti - Mindfulness - Remembrance; a steady, continuous presence of mind

3. Prajna - Insight - Spiritual insight into the nature of reality and the mind

4. Sukha - Contentment - Spiritual bliss; a most sublime affective state of mind

5. Samadhi - Concentration - Singleness of mind; pure mental concentration

The Third Basic Meditation has great strength of Samadhi, having been freed to all cognitive states of mind as well as the all but the most subtle affective states of mind.

The Fourth Basic Meditation:

The stage of equanimity, free of both cognitive (verbal) and affective (emotional) states of mind. No affective states of mind remain as one reaches the highest level of pure mental concentration.

1. Prasrabdhi - Renunciation - All affective states of mind are completely eliminated

2. Smriti - Mindfulness - Completely steady and continuous presence of mind

3. Upeksa - Equanimity - Impartiality; Complete freedom from and indifference to all subconscious disturbance, including suffering, joy and contentment

4.  Samadhi - Concentration - Singlenss of mind; pure mental concentration

The Fourth Basic Meditation: Samadhi is completely attained.

The Meditations in the Four Realms of Formlessness:

The next four meditations (the four emancipations) are in the formless realm, where the limitations of the body and the barriers and multiplicity of physical objects are transcended. One is emancipated from the limitations of the senses and the physical realm and one enters into the four realms of formlessness:

A. The Boundlessness of Empty Space

B. The Boundlessness of Consciousnes

C. The Boundlessness of Nothingness

D. The Boundlessness of That Which Is Neither With Nor Without Perception

Nirodha Samapatti

Finally there is the last meditation, complete withdrawal or Attainment of Cessation (Nirodha Samapatti); In this state of ‘mindlessness’ (acittaka), close to that of coma and death, the practitioner has minimal heartbeat, respiration & body heat, and does not respond to external stimulus

The Buddha saw little to no soteriological benefit in these formless states of meditation.

This is the highest level of the six spiritual realms in the threefold realm. All of the above was part of the system of meditation known at the time of the Buddha Sakyamuni. None of this offers escape from the mortality of the threefold realm and the cycles of life & death (Samsara)

[SOURCE]

Liberation

When the sorrows come, they come not 

single spies, but in battalions.

--Shakespeare

It is better to conquer yourself than 

to win a thousand battles.

--Buddha

The 37 Facets of Spiritual Awakening

The teaching of the 37 Facets of Spiritual Awakening is the original system of practice that Sakyamuni prescribed to his disciples. It represents the core practice of the Two Vehicles.

A. First there are the four spheres of mindfulness (Smriti Upasthana), which are the subjects of the four meditations:

#1 The Body - One's observation of the body at first is largely cognitive, and only through cultivation of the practice of meditation does it become more intuitive and finally purely mindful. This gradual deepening of mindfulness applies for all four of the spheres - (for more on this refer to the four basic meditations and the seven braches of awakening described later here). As one becomes more mindful, aware of and in touch with one's body, internally and externally, one is better able to communicate with it.

o Internally there is observation of the signs of one's health; the breath, the vital energy (Ch'i), the pulse, and the internal organs systems (the Chinese stressed 5 major systems). The breath is the most obvious (the least subtle) of these and, because of this, when one loses one's focus, one should return to focusing on the exhaling and inhaling of the breath (S. Anapana) to regain one's focus so that one may return to the more subtle observations.

o Externally there is observation of one's posture, deportment, carriage, grooming, etc. as well as awareness of what one puts into the body.

 One becomes aware of the body's conditioning, its vulnerability to disease and the natural tendency of the body to produce things that are impure. As The Flower Garland Sutra says:

"One observes the inner body, the outer body, and both of them together, proceeding through it part by part in a methodical order with impartiality, equanimity and diligent mindfulness and recognition, while remaining free of worldly desires and sorrows."

This procedure of observing things 'part by part' or 'one at a time' is used for all four spheres. One never dwells on any one aspect too long, letting things arise and letting things go naturally. One must also try to understand all of this without the self (ego) getting in the way. To see purely with impartiality and equanimity one must not see one's body as being 'my' body. This is also true of all the spheres.

#2 Sensory Feelings - The six sense faculties (the eyes, ears, tongue, nose, body and thinking mind) are the gateways between the body and pure consciousness. The consciousness of sensory perception, the sense faculties and the sensations can all be distinguished. In order to achieve and maintain continuity of mindfulness, these gateways must be protected from cravings, attachments and aversions to the sensations (sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, and elements of spiritual reality or dharmas). Except for touch, these sensations are all entering through narrow portals in our head. While touch has a wide field of action through the whole length of the body inside and outside, the other senses only come into being in their own particular portals. One becomes keenly aware of these senses & of any sensory desires with their attendant pleasures, joys, pains & sufferings.

#3 The Thoughts of the Mind - the thinking mind interprets the sensory information and rationalizes and conceptualizes it. It tries to 'make sense' of the information coming in. In doing so it creates thoughts, which codify realities (dharmas) into sensory data. These codes come in many forms, music, images, symbols, but most significantly and powerfully in the power of the written and spoken word. Our minds are constantly producing a torrent of these thoughts to interpret and represent reality. They are usually adulterated with klesas (emotional desires/distress). One must be aware of the difference between the thoughts, which are fleeting & impermanent, and the reality they represent. At first sight, these thoughts may seem to explain reality completely but after sometime they are seen to only offer a partial explanation of it; later still, they are seen to actually distort the reality that they earlier seemed to explain.

#4 The Aspects of Spirituality - Spiritual Reality itself is impossible to know with the thinking mind - it is inconceivable. The limitations of our very self-existence stand in the way. The best we can do is to try to understand the juncture between our self and the infinite. The causality and conditions of the spiritual realms (the 'ten worlds') from the depths of hell to the enlightenment of the Buddha desribe this relationship.

 B. The Four Proper Exertions - creating the proper moral environment to free the mind from emotional troubles (klesas):

1. Preventing the birth of evils and bad states of mind that have not yet arisen

2. Eliminating those evils and bad states of mind that already exist

3. Producing good states of mind that have not yet arisen

4. Maintaining the already existing good states of mind and enhancing their further cultivation

C. The Four Causes of Spiritual Feet (Riddhipada) - These enable the mind to be or go anywhere at will. In order to properly practice with intensity of resolve and attain spiritual feet, one depends upon on dispassion, detachment, sublimation, and equanimity.

1. Concentration of desire

2. Concentration of diligence

3. Concentration of presence of mind (mindfulness)

4. Concentration of observation

D. The Five Spiritual Roots - Keenness of Spiritual Capacity

1. Faith

2. Diligence

3. Mindfulness or Presence of Mind

4. Mental Concentration

5. Spiritual Insight

E. The Five Spiritual Powers (Bala):

1. The power of faith destroying doubt

2. The power of diligence destroying laziness

3. The power of mindfulness destroying negligence (forgetfulness)

4. The power of concentration destroying distraction

5. The power of insight destroying delusion

F. The Seven Branches of Awakening (Sambodhyanga) - Steps in the attainment of deeper mindfulness (compare to the four basic meditations):

1. Discerning reality & so distinguishing truth from falsehood (pravicaya-dharma)

2. Diligence (Virya)

3. Joy (Priti)

4. Riddance of grossness, sublimation (prasrabdhi)

5. Mindfulness, presence of mind (Smriti)

6. Concentration (Samadhi)

7. Equanimity (Upeksa): freedom from & indifference to all subconscious disturbances including sufferings & joys

G. The Noble Eightfold Path (Arya Marga) - the essence of all that above

Three of Proper Morality (Sila):

1. Proper Conduct

2. Proper Speech

3. Proper Livelihood

Three of Proper Mental Concentration (Samadhi)

4. Proper Diligence

5. Proper Mindfulness

6. Proper Concentration

Three of Proper Spiritual Insight (Prajna)

7. Proper Views

8. Proper Intent

[SOURCE]

How To Practice Ch'an Meditation

Ch’an practice attracts shallow and deep interest in the world. The world is a reflection of the mind and the Ch’an method is nothing other than the instant and profound realisation of this fact. There is nothing else to it. The mind realises its own essence and in so doing no longer perceives itself and the outer world as two separate and unconnected realities. Such a realisation has profound philosophical implications, but these implications must not cloud the ordinary mind with excessive intellectual concerns. These implications are understood with a natural ease free of effort. Effort is only required by the unrealised mind striving to understand some thing that lies beyond its reach. This is why the Ch’an masters of old advised their students to ‘lay it all down’ and ‘have no concern for the world’. It is true that examples abound in the Ch’an literature of people becoming enlightened through a word, a phrase or an act, usually delivered by a master at the appropriate moment, but much of this activity is the product of a long and sustained meditative practice where through hours of meditation the practitioner has previously built-up the inner potential so that at the right moment a break through can occur. This break through may happen whilst sitting in meditation, or it may occur in ordinary life moments that happen between meditation sessions.

Whatever the case, a break through in the mind can not happen if the ordinary mind is not brought firmly under control. The ordinary (ignorant) flow of mind that goes about its everyday existence merely perpetuates itself without end, and does not possess an ability to calm itself and put an end to suffering. This type of ordinary mind merely follows a cycle of suffering from which it can not escape. Therefore it is essential that part of the day is used to reign in the mind so that it does not do what it wants, when it wants to do it. The mind is use to doing what it wants ever since it occupied a baby’s body – the habit is difficult to break, but broken it must be. The Ch’an method does not engage the ordinary conscious flow of the mind, as that would be piling an illusion upon an illusion – instead the Ch’an method seeks the empty Mind Ground by directly looking for it with no hesitation whatsoever. The human mind, the body it occupies, and the world it inhabits, are all products of the ordinary, unenlightened state of mind and should be given no attention at all. The mind must be disengaged from the attachment to the ordinary mind, the body and the environment. The Ch’an practitioner must turn the gaze firmly within, away from externals toward the empty Mind Ground so that its essence can be fully realised and integrated with, thus eradicating the illusion of duality and attaining the realisation that all things exist within a great and profound, all-embracing emptiness.

The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Dharma Pt. 2

By Alexander Berzin

Morelia, Mexico, May 30, 2000

Lightly edited course transcript

The Four Thoughts in Reverse Sequence

The four thoughts that turn our mind to the Dharma show us on a slightly deeper level that this is possible. We have discussed how it is possible to gain conviction in the possibility of liberation and enlightenment in terms of the three basic thoughts needed to enter the Dharma: suffering, wanting to get out of suffering, and having the conviction that it is possible to get out of suffering. The four thoughts that turn our mind to the Dharma actually turn our minds toward these three thoughts, specifically to the first of these three steps, recognizing and acknowledge the difficulties and sufferings in life. The last of the four thoughts is of the unsatisfactoriness of samsara, which is the actual acknowledgement of difficulties and problems in life. We need to work backwards in order to appreciate the order and necessity of each step.

What are the difficulties and problems that we face? Buddha gave many lists, but the more concise one is a list of three. We can call them the three types of problems. The first is gross suffering: pain and unhappiness. It includes physical pain as well as mental pain. Most people can recognize this without much difficulty. Nobody likes to be unhappy, so most people would like to get out of it.

The second problem is the problem of change. This refers to our usual ordinary experiences of happiness, which are tainted with confusion. They change; they do not last. For instance, we eat and feel the happiness of our stomach being full but it does not last and we get hungry again. What is the problem? The problem is not that the happiness does not last. That is just the nature of this type of happiness. Having the most profound, direct understanding of voidness is not going to change the fact that this type of happiness is impermanent. Nothing is going to change that. We can get less upset by the fact that it changes, but that is not the point here. The real problem with this type of happiness is the uncertainty factor: when it ends, we do not know what will follow. We are with our friends, having a good time. The good time ends and we don't know if we are going to feel happy, tired, unhappy or what. That is the real problem here. Just going after this temporary happiness will not help us, even though we feel okay for a while. Not only does it not eliminate all our problems, but we are left in a state of real insecurity, not knowing what will come next.

The Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Dharma Pt. 1

By Alexander Berzin

Morelia, Mexico, May 30, 2000

Lightly edited course transcript

Preliminaries

I like to begin classes with a set of preliminaries. These are various methods to help us quiet down and get into an appropriate state of mind for meditating or listening to teachings. In order to be able to get into something fully we need to enter into it slowly and appropriately. That is purpose of preliminaries.

There are many different ways to get into a state of mind conducive for meditating or for listening. I usually follow just one of many possibilities. This method starts with counting the breath. When we are very distracted emotionally or mentally, from our work, from traveling here or whatever, it is very important to first quiet down into a neutral state. This helps us to relax. The way that we do this is to breathe normally through the nose, which means not too quickly, not too slowly, not too deeply and not too shallowly. The cycle is to first breathe out, then allow a slight pause and, because we have made a slight pause, we naturally breathe in more deeply. That is a much more relaxed way of breathing deeply than consciously taking a deep breath. As we breathe back in, we count it as one in our minds.

Then, without holding the breath we breathe out. We repeat this cycle eleven times and then repeat the count of eleven two or three times, depending on our speed. The numbers don't really matter. We can count up to any number. We do not need to get superstitious about it. The point is to occupy the verbal energy of our mind with something so that we are not thinking something else while focusing on the breath. Let us do that please.

When You Truly Travel the Way

"What you call the Buddha, that is your heart in its purity.  What you call the Dharma, that is your heart in its radiance.  What you call the Way, that is when in sheer light there is nowhere any obstruction.  The three are one; but they are empty names and have no real existence.  When you truly travel the Way, you keep them ever present in your heart."

-Master Lin-Chi from the "Lin Chi Lu"