Category Archives: Zen

Soto, Zen, Buddhism

Good morning!   This is Mother’s Day. So, we celebrate not only our direct biological mothers, but also bigger basic Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Mother Dharma, Mother Home, our true home, which the Buddha witnessed and established. So, we not only present carnations to our biological mothers, but also present ourselves the broader based Dharma Dhātu, Domain, Truth Territory, nirvana, unconditioned peace, and anuttara samyak sambōdhi, unsurpassed right awakening.   Twenty five centuries ago the Buddha sat in Zazen, settled in nirvana, witnessed this Dharma Dhātu, and was awakened to the truth beyond our ordinary biological living for the first time in the history of living beings, thus opened the Awakened Way for all. Nirvana means windless of karmas. We are all bound by karmas, actions, action results, and habit energies. So, the Buddha said that all living beings are karma machines, heirs, and relatives. He found the way to go beyond karma machines, karma life to Dharma life.   It is from small skin sacks to limitless liberated life, like bubbles to a great ocean, as if we take off our skin coats and merge into the great space. So, when we sit, stop our physical, verbal, and mental karmas (creation, action, function), breathe deep, we become one with the selfless, supramundane space like great space, sky or sea. He found and founded the Dharma of Dependent Origination, that is, all phenomena are interdependently originated and operate, thus there is no independent eternal self.   Usually we stick to small selves, in reality the sources of suffering. All problems in this world come from our sticking to small selves - global warming, mass extinction, etc. So, our ultimate solutions of them lie in selfless, supramundane Buddha Dharma life and living. The Buddha achieved the true Spiritual Revolution, the heart-mind- spirit revolution beyond materialism, militarism, money-ism, essential me-ism. Only there can we find true holy (wholly wholesome) harmony, health, and happiness.   It is really unusual, but not abnormal. It is truly aboriginal and normal. When we stop our karmas, we see the Dharma Domain, and see the true nature of ourselves. Only in this way can we attain amrita, ambrosia of immortality. So, as long as we stick to our small skin sacks, decomposing and destroying, we can never attain it. The Buddha opened the Dharma gate of amrita, ambrosia of immortality.  As in the common verse of the Seven Buddhas (quoted below), it really requires purifying one’s own heart, to do all good and to do no evil:   … Continue reading

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Introduction to Zen and Awakened Way Classes Offered

We will adjust our classes to meet the participants’ interests, requests, background, progress, etc.

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Supreme Supramundane State

Good morning!   Zazen brings us to a completely different world than the ordinary one. Of course we have a different world from moment to moment. So, we can enjoy spring after winter. We must withstand a chilly winter after … Continue reading

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Practicing Perfections

Good morning!   The full moon is reflected on the floor. The full moon represents the Buddha mind. All over the world zen practitioners are in the Rohatsu sesshin, where the Buddha was awakened. The Buddha mind, like the full … Continue reading

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Simple Straight Sitting

Good morning!   We will see the full moon in the clear sky tonight. After the leaves have fallen, trees are exposed to crisp cool air. The world is chilly, going to the freezing point now.   After our sittings, … Continue reading

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Good morning!   Now the moon is almost a half moon, changing from the fall full moon. Life is like morning dew on grass, swiftly disappearing.   Ten students and two teachers from the Webster Works Worldwide program came and … Continue reading

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Zen and the Awakened Way, 5-part class at Missouri Zen Center

Please come and witness Awakened Way and amrita: ambrosia, immortality http://missourizencenter.org/mzcherenow/wp-admin/post-new.php  

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Eventless Is Holy and Good

Good evening!   We have been having very hot dry days. It is hard and deadly for plants and animals.   Sitting in zazen, stopping all karmas, surpasses all events – heat and chill, up and down, life and death. … Continue reading

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From Karma Bodies to Dharma Dhatu (Domain, lit. Root Realm)

Good morning!   We are delighted with beautiful flowers around us inside and out, especially those fresh flowers at the altar and all other Buddhas around the rooms with water also fresh. Unless we replace water, it becomes stale and … Continue reading

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Triple Treasure/Learning

Good morning!   Zazen, still serene sitting, is the practice of the triple learning of sîla, samâdhi, and prajñâ and the appreciation of the triple treasure of buddha, dharma, and sańgha .   It is the essential function and the … Continue reading

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