Dharma Words for the Heart
Abiding Nowhere, Give Rise to the Mind
There are two lines from the Diamond Sutra on the wall at Nung Chan Monastery: "Abiding nowhere, give rise to mind." "Abiding nowhere" refers to the mind without attachments, but ut can also be taken to mean there is nothing that must be accomplished or done. It is very painful to hold onto a certain thing, event, or person so strongly. At the same time, one who does not want, hold onto, or need anting would be very isolated. So "giving rise to the min...
No-Birth and No-Death
From the Chan perspective, the terms no-birth and no-death do not mean that you are not born into a cycle of birth and death. Rather, they mean that there is no particular reality to either birth or death. These events are not hings, but mere moments in a great continuity. Even though a great Buddhist sage is within the cycle of birth and death, he is liberated from it. Resource Dharma Drum – The life and heart of Chan practice, p. 177
Birth and Death
Attachment to external and internal states are causes of birth and death. Being obsessed with enlightenment is also a cause of birth and death. Resources: Dharma Drum- The life and heart of Ch'an practice, Birth and Death, p.156 Book Store
Depend on yourself to open up your own road
Life is much the same as making and projecting a movie. Film moves at about ten images per second. When the movie is completed, it can be projected at the same speed that it was taken, showing the same images again. However, the movie itself is not reality. It is made of single frames of still images, and between each image is a certain time interval. Thus, the projection of events does not occur in continuous, real time. Life, too, is like this. One thought follows another i...
Greedy, anger, and arrogance
Greedy people are usually unaware of their own greed. The same is true of people filled with anger, arrogance and pride. But sooner or later, practitioners will recognize that they have been greedy, angry or arrogant. At the time they should generate a sense of humility and practice repentance. If you can do this every time you recognize these feelings, these non-virtuous mental states, you will find they arise less and less frequently. Resources: ...
Mind set on the Path is primary
For practitioners, the mind set on the Pathis primary, health is secondary, and knowledge comes last Resources: Dharma Drum- The Life and heart of Ch'an practice Book Store
Transcending Karma
Bearing hardship means accepting torments, while bearing the loss of pleasure demands the self-discipline of a higher will. By being able to endure the seemingly unendurable, we are able to observe the precepts purely. Resources: Dharma Drum- The life and heart of Ch'an practice, Transcending Karmic Obstructions, p.195 Book Store
Cultivating the good deeds
Having the intention to do good deeds but not cultivating the intention is like stashing seeds in a warehouse; the seeds will never germinate. If a seedling is planted, but unattended and simply left to wither, that is a great pity. Resources: Dharma Drum- The life and heart of Ch'an practice, Birth and Death Book Store
Not harboring jealousy in the mind
It does not matter whether you have money or not, status or not, whether you have power or not, so long as you make things easier for others, alleviate fear in people, or give people comfort, you are cultivating blessings. Resources: Wisdom for Life on Earth(人間世) Book Store