Good morning!
It is bright and brisk with the Sunday sunlight reflecting on white snow and the
temperature going down to single digits. We have sesshin today. Sesshin (摂心・接心)
means embracing and touching the heart/mind. Our mind/hearts are usually
straying like kites with their strings cut much less contacted.
We talked about the 500 fox lives due to the error of “not falling into the Dharma of
Dependent Origination.” All living beings have been living a billion fox lives in that
law. No one can escape from it and must receive its retributions – presidents and
prime ministers with greater responsibilities.
Foxes are believed to transform their figures to deceive humans. All living beings,
specifically specially evolved humans, transform their figures as beastly beings,
hungry ghosts, fighting devils, hell beings, and celestial beings, constantly and
continuously by their karmas.
Only when we sit and still our physical, verbal and mental karmas, can we see and
serve dharmas as they are. Only when we witness nirvana, can we awaken to the
Dharma freed from fox lives and fully function as buddhas. Sesshin is essential and
endless effort in this purifying and purity path.
It all depends on our practice of this path, whether the world is doomed to
destruction in suffering, in sanguine strife in the ocean of tears and blood, or saved
in bliss in wholly wholesomeness in limitless life, light, liberation, and love. Awaken
from the dreadful dreams of foxy cries in the tiger skin!
2/22/15
