Step Nine – Reaching the Source The Second Dharma Realm Too many steps have been taken returning to the root and the source. Better to have been blind and deaf from the beginning! Dwelling in one’s true abode, unconcerned within and without – The river flows tranquilly on and the flowers are red. Reaching the… Continue reading Super Power Mindfulness Zen
Category: Buddhism
Stream Entry Zen Part One
Entering the stream means that we have at least loosened the fetter of belief in an independent self, we no longer have much doubt in the teachings of the Buddha, and we doubt that rites and rituals lead to enlightenment. The Buddha said that stream enterers have at most seven lifetimes to go before entering into Nirvana.… Continue reading Stream Entry Zen Part One
Stream Entry Zen Part Two
Sotapanna is the Pali word for stream entry. We enter the stream by lessening the first three fetters of the ten fetters, i. e., the fetters of 1) sakkaya ditthi, the belief that we are an independent self, i. e., that a self can be found in the five aggregates, 2) doubt about the Buddha and his teachings,… Continue reading Stream Entry Zen Part Two
The Core Meditation of Zen
There are numerous meditation techniques. Some use mantras, some use Zen koans, some, like vippasana, monitor thoughts. But the core meditation taught by the Buddha is Tranquil Wisdom meditation. It’s a sixteen step meditation but the steps flow naturally so it’s not a memory test. The sixteen steps are found in Intermediate Zen at www.howtopracticezen.com,… Continue reading The Core Meditation of Zen
54 prostration verses for Zen
A complete Buddhist practice, in my opinion, includes a prostration practice. Complete instructions on how to perform a prostration are found under the heading Prostrations under Advanced Zen. There you will also find a video of three very fast prostrations. We suggest preforming each prostration much slower. To avoid the tedious process of counting fifty… Continue reading 54 prostration verses for Zen
Zen Yes, Religion No
It is OK to believe that exercise is good because there is evidence to support that belief. It is OK to believe that a vegetarian is healthier than a meat eater because vegetarians live longer than animal killers and have far fewer diseases and health crises. But it is not OK to believe that the… Continue reading Zen Yes, Religion No
The Garden of Zen Practice
Buddhism teaches that there are three worlds: The world of sense desire (the crude one we’re in now; it has six realms and is often referred to as the six worlds), the world of form (a much more subtle world where sense desires have ended but the desire for bodily existence has not), and the… Continue reading The Garden of Zen Practice
Zen From An Unexpected Guest
Buddhism is a method of cultivating the mind. Since Buddhism affirms that the universe is governed by impersonal laws and not by any creator-god, it has no use for prayer, for the Buddha was a teacher and not a god. Buddhism regards devotion not as a religious obligation but as a means of expressing gratitude… Continue reading Zen From An Unexpected Guest
Mudita And Zen Always Win
Of the four Brahma Viharas, mudita is the one we find to be a little strange. When we cultivate mudita, we are never envious or jealous of anything. If we cultivate this Brahma Vihara well, we really don’t mind when the home team loses a big game; we’re happy for the people who rooted for… Continue reading Mudita And Zen Always Win
Zen, Mindfulness, and Ignorance
This week’s Time magazine’s cover story reports that mindfulness practice is becoming a mainstream practice despite its Buddhist origins. People who won’t listen to monks in robes will listen to scientists, the magazine reports. Obviously, it is the monks who should be listened to. They won’t teach mindfulness to Marines so that they can become… Continue reading Zen, Mindfulness, and Ignorance