Not Different from One Another

The sutras teach that ordinary people, sages and saints are all equal. There is no difference [in their intrinsic nature]. Only the defilement or purity of mind is different. For this reason, it is said that “Mind, Buddhas and sentient beings are no different from one another.” A Pure Mind is Buddha, a defiled mind is sentient being. Buddhas and sentient beings differ only in the extinction or non-extinction of defilements of the mind.

The mind is inherently clean and pure, but it is obstructed by greed, hatred, stupidity, arrogance, the five desires and many kinds of delusions. Therefore, those with such minds are called sentient beings. If defilements are discarded and the mind becomes pure, that is Buddhahood. It is not necessary to depend on others.

However, all sentient beings bear heavy karma and stubborn afflictions from time immemorial, and these are very difficult to purify. To do so requires cultivation, such as [serene, reflective] meditation, working on a hua-t’ou [koan] or Buddha Recitation. So you see, there are many expedient ways to practice, but all are medicines to treat the diseases of the mind. For example, a mirror, intrinsically bright, cannot reflect anything if it is covered with dust. To restore its brightness, a cleaning agent (remedy) is required. Yet the cleanser itself is also dust, though it can rid other things of dust. Once the mirror is bright, there is no further need for the cleanser. This is like gold in its ore, covered with the dirt and dust of sand and stone. After it is smelted and pure gold appears, there is no need to smelt it again.

It is difficult to rid oneself of the defiled mind characteristic of sentient beings. However, it can be done through diligent practice. When this is accomplished, the bright and undefiled mind appears. It is in this sense that all sentient beings are said to be inherently Buddhas.

~ Master Han-Shan’s Dream Roamings, Trans. by Master Lok To

Happiness In, Then Out

At the Culver Academy yesterday, we did a very simple meditation that anyone, regardless of their faith tradition, can do.

After settling into a meditation position that is comfortable for you, breathe in thinking “May I be happy.” Then, breathe out while thinking “May all beings be happy.”

That’s it!

First we take in happiness for ourselves. But we keep that happiness for the briefest of moments, and then we turn around and give it to all beings. So the happiness we create, we immediately share with everyone. The in-breath creates some tension as our diaphragm pulls air into our lungs on our thought of personal happiness. The out-breath releases the tension as we release the happiness with the thought that it will benefit all beings.

Two Tribes or One?

I'm beginning to think that I need another category. I'll call it "Musings."

I drove to the Farmer's Market in Goshen yesterday morning. (Alec, now you know why I couldn't have a translation meeting. ;-)) I don't drive a lot and am even more careful in not making any unnecessary trips since I have been struggling to try to follow the 90% rule of Riot 4 Austerity. (There's a link for the site on the sidebar.) But the Goshen market is only about nine miles from here and the Maple City co-op is also there. So I can get fresh, local produce and all my bulk supplies in one trip.

There's not much fresh, local produce available midwinter in Northern Indiana, but I got what I was hoping to from Kate Lind of Sustainable Greens and a few other growers.  It's such a delight to buy food that was picked (okay I confess, the delicious cookies I bought were baked) just yesterday.  To get to meet the grower or the baker helps to foster a connection with what we eat. Local food is "real" food, in most cases neither genetically engineered nor bombarded with pesticides. It tastes like food used to taste. And it nourishes (not sure of the cookies on this one!) just like food used to.

As I was driving, I continued to listen to Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan was writing about "tribes." Thanks to the Internet, we can find people who share our interests and concerns. We can find others who belong to our "tribe." Our tribe might be concerned about living simply and in a sustainable way or it may be concerned about living in a way that focuses on doing good and on not harming others. Hmm...sounds like the two tribes may not be two after all.

Living our practice can be done every moment as we mindfully consider the consequences of our actions and wisely make decisions—not for our own gratification—but for the welfare of others.

Turn Away from Both Winning and Losing

Peace—the long cherished dream of humanity. At its heart lies the under­standing that world peace will only be attained when we first end the wars within each of us: when we let go of selfishness, let go of the desire to control others, let go of discrimination by nationality, belief, and race. And when we genuinely realize that in any conflict the victor inevitably becomes arrogant, while the defeated inexorably dwells in pain, and that the wise person turns away from both winning and losing to live in contentment and peace.

Mindfulness of the Buddha

If the body does not engage in killing, does not engage in stealing and does not engage in sexual misconduct, then the karma of the body becomes pure. If one does not lie, does not engage in frivolous speech, duplicitous speech, or in harsh speech, then the karma of the mouth becomes pure. If the mind does not engage in greed, hatred or stupidity then the karma of the intellectual mind becomes pure.

When in this manner the ten evil actions have become eternally cut off and the three karmic vehicles have become as pure as ice this brings about the essential [prerequisite] of the purified mind. Within this pure mind one develops an aversion for the suffering of the Saha world, brings forth the vow to go forth to rebirth, and peacefully nourishes one's establishment of the correct practice of mindfulness-of-the-buddha. Having done this, then the absolute essential requirement in mindfulness-of-the-buddha becomes the urgency of one's mind in relation to birth-and-death.

One first cuts off external conditions. One exclusively brings up the one thought. One takes the one phrase, “Amitabha” as the very root of one's life. It is not forgotten for even a single moment. It is not cut off for even the space of a single thought. During both the day and night, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down, whether picking up a spoon or raising the chopsticks, whether twisting or turning around, whether bending down or raising up, whether moving or still, and whether at leisure or busy—in every single moment one refrains from any stupidity or mental darkness. One does not allow the intrusion of any other conditions.

If one uses the mind in this manner then after a time it becomes so pure and completely developed that one does not forget [one's mindfulness] even in one's dreams. Wakefulness and sleep become of a single suchness. When this becomes the case then one's skill becomes subtle and integrated and then becomes fused into a single, [continuous] entity. It is at this time that one gains realization of the power [of this practice].

If one's mindfulness reaches the state where one is single-minded and [one's thoughts are] not scattered, then when one approaches the end of one's life, the realm of the Pure Land will manifest before one. Then, one will naturally not be detained by birth and death. This being the case, one will then achieve as a response [the manifestation of] Amitabha who will emit light and lead one forth. This demonstrates the efficacy [of this practice's ability] to definitely bring about [the desired] rebirth. Thus this single-minded exclusive mindfulness assuredly is a correct mode of practice.

Dhyana Master Shrama.na Han-shan De-ching, The Record of Dream Wanderings