Awakening means seeing through illusion

(ECHOES OF LOST KNOWLEDGE) Bodhidharma: "Awakening" means seeing through illusions (cleansing the heart/mind of the Three Poisons) | First Zen Patriarch from India

Buddhism vs. Taoism: when Zen was born

Every ordinary moment is pointing to our true Buddha nature | Zen Master Bodhidharma

(Daily Tao Wisdom) Buddhism versus Taoism: The Night Zen was Born: Bodhidharma

One practice that includes all others

(ECHOES OF LOST KNOWLEDGE) The ONE practice that changes everything | Zen awakening

• Is this not Ram's advice to quiet the Monkey Mind?

Zazen back home: Berkeley Zen Center

BASIC ZAZEN INSTRUCTION Founder Sojun Mel Weitsman Roshi (berkeleyzencenter.org)

What were we expecting for a Dharma talk? Something more like (San Francisco Zen Center) "Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, archived Dharma talk, Nov. 11, 1965

WHAT HAPPENED?

Why'd I come from the West?

UPDATE: We returned to the daily noon zazen (sitting session) and found it silent, powerful, and very uplifting. Ten assembled quietly on a Tuesday, seven on Wednesday, and the orientation really paid off. Many attend on their lunch breaks.

A group of seven meditators gathered Saturday morning at 8:40 am on Russell St. between MLK Jr. and Adeline at BZC. Zen Joe welcomed us into the Zendo for instruction, which is also online (Zoom). We were oriented on how to hold our hands, where to walk, where not to talk then got instruction on how to sit and hold ourselves erect. We got a short sit, walked out, came right back in for a full session of zazen.

After that, following last week's lay entrustment ceremony, Sue (Ju'en Soetsu), 83, gave a Dharma talk, with precious little Dharma and lots of pablum, ordinary chitchat, very down homey and a whole lot of air.

One was reminded of seeing Thich Nhat Hanh in one of his last visits to the Pasadena Auditorium, possibly his very last, articulating next to no words, just giving darshan, uncomfortably, with 5,000 or so onlookers hanging on his every exhale, singing songs, feeling so very in the moment, smiling, settling...until Thay finally made the point that "a flower is composed out of all non-cloud elements," an instruction meant to show [the impersonal nature of] emptiness (shunyata, anatta) that all we take to be so special about flowers is actually water from clouds, nourishment from mud and atmospheric gases, solar radiation, and so on. All that disparate stuff gives us flowers, just as the Five Aggregates give us living beings, who rarely if ever realize they are ultimately only that. One had to think, unless one had been inducted in the Zen cloud of not expecting anything, "Is that all there is, Cristina?"

Instead here, when Sue made some uber-generic observation, one of the helpers signed at the magnificence of the simplicity of her utterance. When we set up no expectations, it's hard to be disappointed. When we do, watch out. Some men in the audience of 40 tried to ask some deeper questions, Sue brushed them off as if she had been studying how to be a difficult Zen interviewee. "Yes," she answered to a multiple-choice question about the meaning of life. "Will you ever answer my question," the audience member persisted, "Yes."

"Will you do it now?" - "Don't worry about it," was her retort to the gleeful squeals of others in the know. Linda Roshi, the committee-selected BZC abbess of the last two years, gently nodded as if in approval. "What are we here but body, breath, and brain [mind]?" she asked rhetorically then quoted Woody Allen of all people, "Showing up is 80%."

More heads nodded, and all we could think was, "This is a 'Dharma' talk?" Someone was viewing it on Zoom, so maybe it's recorded for anyone to review. We asked Zen Joe afterward, "Was that a normal Dharma talk?" He shrugged his shoulders and answered, "Yeah, pretty typical."

What's shikantaza ("just sitting")?

(Zen Fields) What is Shikantaza 1 (6 minutes)

Maybe all she said was a big "Zen" lesson?

"Some say that to speak of the meaning of the coming from the West is already wrong."

"People these days all make unconcern an understanding. Some say, 'There is no delusion or enlightenment: it's not necessary to go on seeking. Even before the Buddha appeared in the world, before Bodhidharma ever came to this country, it could not have been otherwise. What's the use of the Buddha appearing in the world? What did the Patriarch still come from the West for?"

All such views -- what relevance do they have? You must have greatly penetrated and greatly awakened: then as before, mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers, in fact all the myriad things are perfectly manifest. Then for the first time you can be an unconcerned person." - Roshi Reddit

We think that if we were to ask Sue what she meant, she would rightly say to us, "Don't worry about it."

• Ep. 144: "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?"
• Review: "Why Has Bodhidharma Left for the East" by BYK

Zazen (sitting meditation) instruction

In-person Zazen instruction and beginner orientation

Why did Bodhidharma come?

BZC now offers Zen meditation instruction and orientation every Saturday morning, at 8:40 am. Visit BZC at 1933 Russell St., Berkeley by the Thai Theravada temple, next to the library.

BZC shares how we meditate and also some details about how to move around in the zendo (meditation hall) and join services (bowing and chanting).

Zen Master Bodhidharma | Quizlet

After orientation, participants are welcome to join the next period of zazen in the zendo (9:40 am) and a lecture at 10:15 am. The Saturday program ends at 11:30 am. There is no need to sign up. ALL are welcome!

Online instruction is no longer offered live. Please check out the link to Sojun Roshi’s instruction. Or explore the Teachers Page to make an appointment for a one-on-one zazen instruction.

More about zazen instruction

A 45-minute video meditation instruction from BZC's late Founder Sojun Weitsman Roshi: Sojun’s Roshi’s Sept. 2020 Zazen Instruction

• Abbot Hozan Alan Senauke 2020 essay: My Zazen
• Sojun Roshi: Dead or Alive? | Berkeley Zen Center

Hakuryu Sojun Roshi (Mel Weitsman)

ABOUT: Hakuryu Sojun Roshi (Mel Weitsman) began to practice at San Francisco Zen Center on Bush St. in 1964. In 1969 he was ordained by Suzuki Roshi as resident priest at the Berkeley Zendo. He received Dharma Transmission from Suzuki Roshi’s son and successor, Gyugaku Hoitsu, at Rinsoin Temple in Japan in 1984 and was officially installed as abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center in 1985. Along with his responsibilities in Berkeley, Sojun Roshi helped train students and teachers at several affiliated temples. From 1988 to 1997 he served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. He gave Dharma Transmission to numerous students... More

Zen's Bodhidharma on the ONE method

The ONE practice that contains every spiritual method | Bodhidharma's breakthrough sermon

(ECHOES OF LOST KNOWLEDGE) April 17, 2026: What if one single practice contained every other spiritual method within it?

In this final chapter of the series, the First Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma [from India] reveals the most essential teaching of his entire lineage — and it begins with beholding the mind.

 

This video is a direct transmission of Buddhist Wisdom that cuts through centuries of misunderstanding about what spiritual practice truly means.

Discover why temples, rituals, chanting, and good deeds alone cannot free us — and what actually can.

In this sermon, Bodhidharma teaches

→ The single method that contains all other methods

→ The three hidden poisons (greed, anger, delusion) — and how they silently run our life

→ The six "thieves" operating through our own senses, robbing us of peace every day

→ Why "three asankhya kalpas [aeons of indeterminate length]" of hardship is not what most people think

→ The true meaning of the six perfections (paramitas), the three sets of precepts, and invoking the Buddha

→ How to behold our own mind and free ourselves from suffering — in this very lifetime.

This is not a lecture. This is Buddhist Wisdom spoken directly — clear, unfiltered, and as alive today as it was 1,500 years ago.

📌 THIS SERIES

• Chapter 1 — Blood Stream Sermon (watch first)
• Chapter 2 — Wake-Up Sermon
• Chapter 3 — Breakthrough Sermon (you are here)

🔍 TOPICS COVERED

• Bodhidharma teachings | Breakthrough Sermon | Beholding the mind | Three Poisons in Buddhism | Six Perfections (paramitas) explained | Buddha Nature | Zen Buddhism | Buddhist Wisdom for modern life | First Zen Patriarch | Liberation from suffering | Three sets of precepts | Six thieves of the mind | Enlightenment teachings
• Bodhidharma: between myth and reality (Penglai Martial Arts)

Every week, this channel brings rare Buddhist Wisdom drawn from the original [Mahayana] teachings of the great masters — Bodhidharma, Bankei, Linji Yixuan, and the earliest Zen patriarchs. If the ancient path to liberation is what one are looking for [that person might try Theravada, a back-to-basics Buddhist movement that holds the teachings of the historical Buddha in the highest esteem over subsequent Mahayana interpretations and apocryphal inclusions, distortions, and additions], subscribe and turn on notifications to never miss a teaching.

This video is best experienced in a quiet space, and with full attention. #BuddhistWisdom #Bodhidharma #ZenBuddhism. How this was made: auto-dubbed and audio tracks for some languages were automatically generated.

New Zen Meditation Community, Pasadena

All things are as empty as the enso

For years, Zen came to Pasadena through PasaDharma under the auspices of Founder Roshi Jeff Albrizze (Rev. Lotus Peace), successor Meditation Guide Seven, and PasaDharma's friends at:

• Neighborhood UU Church
• Pasadena Library (Rose Bowl)
• Ahiah Center for Spiritual Living
• Mindfulness Meditation Center
• Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara
• Vipassana Meditation Center (Tha Bar Wa) until the Panda from Wuhan stopped our weekly sangha ("spiritual community") from meeting in person.

Art by Rev. Seigaku Amato

But there's a new Zen Sangha in Pasadena, a practice community affiliated with a teacher who also works and/or meditates at Long Beach Buddhist Church, Yokoji Zen Mountain Center of Idyllwild to serve the Los Angeles Foothills of the Angeles National Forest and all of the San Gabriel Valley:

• Weekly Zen Meditation
• Pasadena Zen Sangha (free/dana)
• Every Thursday from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Orange Grove Friends Meeting House
• 520 E. Orange Grove Bl., Pasadena, 91104

The Bodhisattva of Compassion: Kanzeon

TEACHER: Sensei Seigaku Amato

Seigaku Amato, Hossenshiki ceremony, Japan

Sensei or Reverend Seigaku Amato, who was educated in a Sōtō-Rinzai Zen blend, leads us every Thursday in:

• shikantaza or "just sitting" (zazen),
• mindful walking (kinhin),
• perplexing riddles to help us overcome rigid and limiting habits of mind and get us thinking outside the box (koans),
• questions and answers, and
• an open group discussion.

Sensei completed his Hossenshiki ceremony in Japan, a necessary step for a Sotoshu novice to take toward becoming a full-fledged Zen Buddhist priest, as he became Zagen (pictured above), then Osho. He is also the author of a very helpful Guide to Zen:

• PHOTO GALLERY (Facebook)

BOOK: Complete Illustrated Guide to Zen

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Zen

With 4.3 out of 5 stars (38 reviews), this 2021 Simon & Schuster introduction to Zen is unlike any readers have ever seen — inspired by manga and graphic novels. It offers a comprehensive overview of Soto Zen Buddhism in a delightfully captivating way.

Complete with dynamic, detailed illustrations, American Soto Zen Priest Seigaku Amato uses a semi-narrative style to take readers on a visual tour of Buddhism and, using specifics to illuminate universals, dives deeply into the practices and forms of Soto Zen.

In honor of our teacher the Buddha Shakyamuni

Whether we are just taking our first step or have been practicing Zen for years, this creative and profound book can serve as a constant companion and guide on the journey as it explores topics such as:

• a brief history of Buddhism
• an iconographic overview of various buddhas and bodhisattvas
• an introduction to the various practices of Zen, including
• meditation (zazen)
• work practice (samu)
• meditative eating (oryoki)
• a what’s-what of:
• holidays
• ceremonies
• temple instruments
• religious vestments
• a how-to guide for setting up a home altar.
• BOOK: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Zen (Simon & Schuster)
• Seigaku Amato's ART — Pasadena Zen Sangha

OTHER LOCAL PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES

• Zenshuji Soto Misson, in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, the first Soto Zen temple in North America, established in 1922
• Taichi (Calendar - Neighborhood UU Church) Feb. 7, 2026, 8:00- 9:15 am
• (Japanese) Pasadena Buddhist Temple (of Altadena)
• New Science of Spirituality Meditation Center opens in Pasadena (former home of the LA Buddhist Vihara)| Science of Spirituality
• Buddhist groups increasingly taking root in Latinx communities | Lion’s Roar
• Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven, Jen Bradshaw, Wisdom Quarterly

The Happiness Project: Shaolin Kung Fu

Inside the Temple of the Shaolin Warrior Monks

(Project Happiness) In the mystical heart of China, in the legendary Shaolin Buddhist Monastery, the Shaolin kung fu warrior monks train. Shaolin kung fu is a martial art that has become a profound philosophy of life over the centuries, intertwining physical strength, spiritual wisdom, and mental acuity. Under the guidance of the great Shifu [Master] Shi Miao and his top student @Sachka.w, we explores how Shaolin kung fu transforms every aspect of existence, emphasizing strength, inner peace, and wisdom. Observe the daily rituals, challenges, and sacrifices that define the path of a Shaolin warrior. Enjoy watching. 🐉

This is Shifu's website to train with him: shimiaohai.com 🌟 Follow adventures on Instagram.

⚡️PROJECT HAPPINESS TEAM⚡️

• PHOTOGRAPHY and EDITING: Nicola Guaita • EDITING: Gianmarco Garimberti • SOUND DESIGN and MIX: Lorenzo Sattin • SOUND DESIGN: Riccardo De Cillis • ITALIAN VOICEOVER: Gabriele Donolato and Alessandro Fattori • TRANSLATIONS and AI: Fabrizio Chia.
• Download OPERA for free: opr.as/07-Opera-Broweser-Proj...
• The Happiness Project, July 1, 2024; Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu, Seth Auberon, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Putting Zen into practice (SLICE)

What is Zen? | The essence of Zen Buddhism

Daitoku-ji: A Glimpse into the Life and Practice of Zen Buddhism | SLICE

(SLICE) Daitoku-ji is a Zen monastery that embodies the most radical path of Buddhism [mixed with Taoism, Hinduism, and Shinto] — a return to the pure teachings of the Buddha. [These teachings are so far from the Dharma of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni as to be preposterous, mixing instead Brahmanism, Taoism, and Japanese Chan Buddhism]. Here, practice takes precedence, leading to self-discovery in perfect harmony with nature and the divine. At the heart of Zen practice lies a deep connection to nature, reflected in the design of the monastery’s gardens. These gardens are more than just a backdrop; they are an essential part of the temple’s architecture, serving as constant tools for meditation. For Zen monastics, the garden is a microcosm of the universe:

• gravel symbolizes the vast sea, rocks represent towering mountains, sand swirled in spiraling lines...

Through its serene spaces and profound symbolism, Daitoku-ji invites visitors to find peace, balance, and enlightenment (or satori rather than what the historical Buddha called bodhi) by connecting deeply with the natural world.

(Doug's Dharma) What is the history of Zen? Paradox and tension

Documentary: Sacred Spaces – Asian temples. Humans, Nature and Gods, directed by Véronique Legendre. Production: ZED, ARTE FRANCE, CuriosityStream We fully own the rights to the use of the published content. Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action. SLICE wants to fill up viewers' curiosity! Accessible to anyone from anywhere at any time, this channel is a weekly dose of short docs about curious facts, discoveries, astounding info, unusual stories, weird, fun, and instructive. Be smart, have a slice! Subscribe now ► @slicedocumentary. Become a fan: @slicedocumentary Follow 👇 In French: slicefr. Facebook: slicedocs. Instagram: slicedocs. #documentary #slice #fulldocumentary #freedocumentary #Japan #zen #buddhism #sacred #enlightenment #religion #monk #temple #tea #teahouse #nature #harmony

• SLICE, Dec. 26, 2024; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

What is Zen Buddhism? Shaolin Temple

What is Zen Buddhism?

Did the great South Indian Buddhist sage Bodhidharma teach Shaolin kung fu to China?

.

Shaolin Monastery training is very severe.

(ReligionForBreakfast) April 24, 2025: [What is "Zen"? It is a Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chan (channa), which itself is the Chinese approximation of the Pali word jhana, which derives from the Sanskrit dhyana.

It refers to "meditative absorption," a profound meditative state of still or samadhi, which used to be misleadingly translated into English as "trance" but would have been better rendered "stillness" or "integrated coherence of mind," an all-one (unified, yogic) state of mind necessary for temporary mental purification that puts one in a position of being ready for sudden understanding, kensho or satori, or "insight" (Pali vipassana).

How do we find "Zen" directly?

(T&H Inspiration and Motivation) Alan Watts on finding Zen

All the Taoist, Brahminical, Shinto, Pure Land, Mahayana, Chinese and Japanese cultural baggage got blended into what we now refer to as "Zen Buddhism." Alan Watts does an excellent job of unpacking Zen at a detailed level. Here RFB does an admirable job of describing more generally the history and frame of what came to be modern Zen.

"If you meet the Buddha (a cult of personality or ultimate authority figure) on the road, [unalive] him" then means that the Truth we seek cannot be found outside ourselves, so the death of the ego is what is needed, the realization that there is, ultimately speaking, no self.]

• 00:00 Intro
• 1:42 The Legendary Origins
• 2:26 Bodhidharma and Buddha Nature
• 5:58 A special transmission outside of scriptures (sutra texts)
• 9:22 Lineage
• 10:13 Sudden Awakening
• 14:45 Zazen explained
• 17:04 Chan (Zen) moves to Japan
• 22:38 Zen Buddhism goes abroad
• Is the Shaolin Monastery a myth?

Use code RFBINCOGNI at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/rfbincogni. Join Patreon community: religionforbreakfast. Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters.

• Religion for Breakfast, April 24, 2025; Alan Watts (alanwatts.org) via T&H Inspiration and Motivation; TEXT: Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Bodhidharma: Master of Zen (film)

Bodhidharma: The Master of Zen - A Gripping Buddhist Film | Unveiling the Secrets of Enlightenment

(Brandy Film Production) Master Chuen-Bo (known as Brandy Yuen) embarked on an extraordinary spiritual journey that began with his dedication to producing the evocative film Master of Zen.

In this ambitious project, he simultaneously took on the roles of screenwriter, director, and producer. This marked the start of his transformation towards embracing the Buddhist monastic life.

• 0:00 Movie opening
• 0:21 Introducing Bodhidharma
• 1:02 I am you
• 04:46 A great danger
• 07:18 Hell vs. Bliss
• 09:27 The Light of Wisdom
• 10:42 Vegetarianism
• 12:47 Who was I before I was born?
• 14:56 Who told you to become a monk?
• 16:17 Buddhist practice is in the heart
• 22:52 Eight ways to make you understand the Truth
• 25:05 Bodhidharma travels east to China
• 29:36 Indian monks preach without words?
• 34:12 Flow with destiny and stay at ease
• 36:36 Can one become a Buddha by sitting in meditation?
• 40:04 Bodhidharma: There is no Buddha in the world
• 41:47 How to recite the scriptures?
• 44:49 Cross the river with a single reed
• 46:46 Who can cut himself with a knife?
• 48:46 A practitioner must encounter obstacles
• 50:17 Buddhism is beyond words
• 52:09 Sitting for nine years
• 58:58 Why is there no Buddha in the world?
• 1:00:54 Still as a mountain
• 1:02:56 It's all just a thought
• 1:03:41 Revelation in dreams
• 1:09:23 We must seize the time and do more good deeds
• 1:10:20 The test of the master
• 1:11:51 Break the arm to seek Buddhism
• 1:17:14 Using divine power
• 1:23:51 Those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know
• 1:26:45 Carrying a shoe back to the West

During his research for the film, Master Chuen-Bo immersed himself in the study of Buddhist sutras, seeking wisdom within the hallowed walls of prestigious temples, and attentively absorbing the teachings of his revered master.

As he delved deeper into the profound study of Buddhism, his longing for the Dharma grew increasingly urgent.

Ultimately, he discovered the elusive Truth regarding life's existential questions and, in a decisive moment, chose to leave behind his flourishing film career and colorful life to walk the path of Buddhist monk.

Later on, responding to the heartfelt invitations from his devoted disciples, he journeyed back to Hong Kong from Taiwan to compassionately spread the enlightening teachings of Buddhism.

In October 2000, Master Chuen-Bo established the Buddhist Navigation Vihara in Hong Kong, wholeheartedly dedicating his life to spreading the Dharma for the betterment of all sentient beings.

Guided by the noble mission, "Seek the Buddha's path above, enlighten sentient beings below," the temple aspires to illuminate the way for countless souls. May the Navigation of this Dharma vessel steer us all towards the blissful realm of nirvana, guiding us on this transformative journey together.

• Official website: bnv.org.hk (Prajna Zen Temple)
• Brandy Film Production, Nov. 27, 2022; CC Liu, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

DNA study reveals Japan's 1st inhabitants

Japan is perhaps best known for this giant metal Buddha statue originally built indoors.

.

Let's see what the ancient written record says

Were the kami "ancestors" the first to arrive on the islands, followed by Shinto priest-shamans to deal with them? Were the "white" Ainu in Japan before the East Asian Japanese there today? Yes. Were the Ainu aliens from neighboring Russia? No. Or could the first inhabitants of Japan come from the Koreas, China, Mongolia, Taiwan, or Tibet? If only science had a means of looking at the DNA code and giving a reliable and replicable answer to these mysteries.

Genome study cracks the mystery of Japan's first inhabitants

Kami Shinto temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto

Some of the earliest inhabitants of Japan came from the Korean peninsula, according to a new study that sheds more light on ancient immigration patterns to the archipelago.

• [This is in line with what the Koreans have always been saying about themselves, that they were the progenitors copied by Japan and China, not the other way around. Where did the Koreans come from?]

Japan may be an international travel hub for business and pleasure today, but the islands were relatively isolated until about 3,000 BC.

Its earliest inhabitants were the Jomon people, a collection of hunter-gatherer societies that lived an isolated life on the islands since 14,000 BC.

• [What about the mysterious "white" Ainu people, who look like a blend of Russian shamans and Asians?]

It wasn’t until the Yayoi and Kofun periods between 3,000 BC and 538 AD that immigration to the islands from continental Asia started.

More than 80 per cent of the genomes of modern Japanese people consist of ancestries related to East and Northeast Asia. How the Japanese population acquired these ancestries and what was the pattern of early immigrations that contributed to them has long been a matter of debate.

Science has its say

The new study, published in the Journal of Human Genetics, analyzed the genome of a person dating to the Yayoi period whose remains were uncovered at the Doigahama archaeological site in Yamaguchi prefecture.

Scientists from the University of Tokyo compared this individual’s genome with those of ancient and modern populations in east and northeast Asia. More:

• Genome study cracks the mystery of Japan's first inhabitants
• Archaeologists are too scared to open up the tomb of China's first emperor guarded by thousands of terracotta warriors Archaeologists are terrified to open the tomb of, in the Shaanxi province of China.
• VIDEO: Floating bridge thrills in Zhejiang, China
• The lost island of Atlantis may have been found 2 kms under the ocean
• MSN.com, 10/14/24; CC Liu, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Bodhidharma's Indian Kung Fu and Zen

The comradery at Shaolin Buddhist temple brings out solidarity and personal excellence.

Bodhidharma: The Mysterious Indian Prince Behind Kung-Fu and Zen

Springing tiger!! - Flying dragon!

(Odd Compass) Bodhidharma is a fascinating Indian historical figure in East Asia. His life is shrouded in mystery.

Much of it has to be pieced together from a fragmented mix of sources, some contemporary, some written many centuries after his death in 528 CE.

However, there is no denying that he played a significant part in creating what we now know as "kung fu" and that he propagated Zen Buddhism in the East. Let's dive into Bodhidharma's incredible legacy. Academic research conducted by Shafaque Rahman (shafaque10).

History shows, ET contact advances a society

• Odd Compass, Nov. 5, 2023; CC Liu, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The Heart Sutra: Emptiness, an example

The Heart Sutra: Post canonical Buddhist discourse on the profound nature of reality

(Wisdom Tellers) Sept. 27, 2024: This video explores one of Buddhism’s most profound teachings — emptiness (the impersonal nature of all things). The heart in the Heart Sutra is the heart of wisdom. Discover the essence of emptiness, wisdom, and the path to enlightenment as taught in this timeless Mahayana text, chanted the world over with few penetrating its meaning.

#HeartSutra #BuddhasWisdom #MahayanaBuddhism #Emptiness #Shunyata #Enlightenment #Prajnaparamita #BuddhistTeachings #Avalokiteshvara #SpiritualWisdom

An example to explain emptiness

What is this phenomenon? Interaction of factors

If things are empty (without essence) then what is it that exists?

Constituents.

What does not exist?

Anything apart from those core constituents; there is no separate existence.

All is one?

Perhaps, but what is being said is that a thing is not anything (or is no thing) apart from its constituents (mere supporting causes and conditions).

Can you please give me an example? That sounds crazy.

Yes. Go get a candleflame or envision a real candleflame burning. Now ask, Does it exist?

Of course it exists. Why wouldn't it exist?

Where is it?

It's right here, right here in front of me. Don't you envision it, too?

Yes, but what I see right here is wax, wick, oxygen, heat, and a complex process of combustion. I do not find a candle "flame" itself.

Well, all of that is the candleflame, isn't it?

Is it? There are just those five, so where is the "flame"?

What do you mean, "Where is it?" It's right here!

But here are just five things. And the "flame" is the functional integration of these five. It is not a separate thing at all. It's only an illusion arising from the interdependence of these five. When these five are exhausted or fall away, the illusion of the candle "flame" is no more. It ceases.

What ceases? The flame?

No, the illusion. When it ceases one might ask, Where did it go? Did it go up, down, sideways, north, south, inside, outside?

No, none of those apply, do they? It simply went out, out of existence. It was annihilated. Having been born and created when the candle was lit, it died and ceased to exist.

No. It never was. The illusion fell away. It, not having been, could not cease to be. There were those five, which are not the candle "flame," and now they are no more, their functional integration having ceased.

So that's it?

Oh no, it's much more personal. If this can be said of a candleflame and other things (like constituent parts), what if one were to say it of me, myself, and I?

That's madness!

Madness it may be, but it's true. What is "I" but an illusion arising from five things clung to as "self"?

What five?

Form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.

The self has those.

No, those very things are the self, and there's no separate existence for the self apart from them, because they are the changing constituents of self. They cling to the illusion that there is a "self."

The self clings?

No, there is no self. They (the constituents) cling. Just as feelings themselves feel, and consciousness itself is conscious, so an illusion called "self" arises and is clung to, fearing that it might die and be annihilated, wishing that it could be born and last forever.

Okay.

If they are always changing, what can be said about a "permanent" self that endures from moment to moment or life to life or even enduring unchanged through one life?

It's an illusion?

Yes, it's an illusion. ALL things are empty (and illusory) in this way. Moreover, if the mind/heart can know-and-see this in a flash of clarity and insight, one can be free of clinging, free of rebirth, free of all suffering.

That's what Mahayana Buddhism believes?

No, Mahayana doesn't know what it means. That is to say, most Mahayanists do not know what it says. They imagine it means all sorts of other things, unconsciously clinging to thoughts of a self that will be eternalized and free and everlasting and luminous, all sorts of things held over from the Vedic Brahmanical and Hindu way of seeing things.

What is Mahayana?

Let's ask Asangoham to explain that.

• Wisdom Tellers (Video 1), 9/27/24; CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Bhante (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly