In the stillness by the empty window I sit in meditation wearing my under robe. Navel and nose in alignment, Ears parallel with the shoulders. Moonlight floods the room; The rain stops but the eaves drip and drip. Perfect this moment— In the vast emptiness, understanding deepens.*1 Why bother
In my hermitage a volume of Cold Mountain Poems — It is better than any sutra. I copy his verses and post them all around, Savoring each one, over and over.*1 Who is Cold Mountain? I don't know. The only fragments of his life that survive are stories
In my youth I put aside my studies And aspired to be a saint. Living austerely as a mendicant monk, I wandered here and there for many springs. Finally I returned home to settle under a craggy peak. I live peacefully in a grass hut, Listening to the birds for
Thinking back, I recall my days at Entsū-ji And the solitary struggle to find the Way. Carrying firewood reminded me of Layman Hō; When I polished rice, the Sixth Patriarch came to mind. I was always first in line to receive the Master’s teaching, And never missed an
If someone asks my abode I reply: “The east edge of the Milky Way.” Like a drifting cloud, bound by nothing: I just let go giving myself up to the whim of the wind.*1 Where is my home? Is it in my house? Is it the county? Is it
Before we go off on this listicle, I'd like to invite you to take a moment to imagine living in Thailand (my home) 200 years ago. I know - random, but bear with me for a moment please, as this little thought experiment will be the foundation for the
What is the traditional Buddhist cosmology? In brief, there are three realms: the heavenly realm, animal realm, and lower realms, each realm hosting its own unique characteristics, but all are impermanent. The heavenly realm has an interesting cast of characters. You’ve got your local nature spirits that live in
Are there other realms of existence? I’ve got to admit, I’m skeptical. On the one hand, I’ve had some weird experiences. Friends as well. And there are so many other people with similar experiences throughout the world. This all makes me think that maybe there really is
I’ve grown up hearing this word, karma, especially when I go to yoga studios or talk to some of my more spiritual friends. I have some sense of it, but what does it mean in Zen? Karma comes from the Sanskrit word for action, but in the older texts,
Picking off from last time. Huh? Who were you talking to there? Ohhh…nobody. Nobody at all. Ummmm….ok. Now I’ll go through the five key concepts one by one. Please forgive me for not going into too much detail, as this’ll just be a big picture explanation.
