Monday, September 29, 2014

In your practice, 'Lightness and Ease' can be easily attached to....don't!

photo by isaac symonds

"When the mind is unified with the body, you cannot be aware of the sensations of the whole body sitting because the sensations disappear. Why? The sensations become one with mind, so you cannot become aware of them. But that does not mean you have no body anymore. Don’t be afraid of that. When you close your eyes, you may get fear, and you may feel your body disappear. If you open your eyes, you still see your body. If you reach this state, you can experience the ‘Lightness and Ease’ of your body and mind, and this kind of experience you may never have tasted before in your daily life. Some people may feel, “Oh how wonderful this is. Oh how good. I enjoy it.”  Then they just abide in this state, they don’t want to get out; they just want to enjoy it. They don’t want to do anything. They think if they can just stay in this state for the rest of their life, that would be so wonderful. So they don’t want to leave. Of course, if they want to stay in that state, they stop their forward practice. We could say that they attach to the form of the mind (Lightness and Ease) in that moment.  Then, later on after some period of time, that state of Lightness and Ease will disappear. It depends on how far the state of your mind has faded away. Then, the mind will return to the Concentrated mind state or even the Scattered mind state. So, do not attach to any kind of Form of mind, of the good experience."...from talks by Master Beishi Guohan 2014






a half day or day of silent meditation/contemplation

For this retreat, if you are not a Chan (Chinese Zen) practitioner, you may bring your own silent meditation/ contemplation practice. If you do not presently have a practice, or are interested in Chan meditation practice, please contact Adrian a couple of days before the retreat.

Bring your own cushion; chairs are available. Limited seating, please RSVP.
Contact Adrian Symonds: 250-650-9055 or adrian2@shaw.ca
Oct 5, Nov 2, Dec 2:  8:30 a.m to 5 p.m. – Salish House, Lewis Park Recreation Centre, Courtenay
Cost: by donation
===========================================


1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen
7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and this blog http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/






Monday, September 22, 2014

To have seen into the self-nature

Both pics by Suzy Chatwin
What is the "Pure Dharma Body of Buddha"? The self-nature of worldly beings is intrinsically pure, and all dharma/Dharma manifest from the self-nature. When you think about evil things, it reveals evil things. When you think about all good things, it reveals good deeds. Thus all things of self-nature are like the sky, which is always clear, and also like the sun and the moon, which are always bright. While they are covered by floating clouds, there is brightness above and darkness below. If suddenly a wind blows away the clouds, then the brightness reappear in both above and below, and myriad things are fully manifested. The mind of worldly beings is confused and always floating, just like the clouds in the sky. Good fellow-practitioners, wisdom is like the sun, insight is like the moon, and both of them are always bright. But if you attach to the external sense objects, you have your self-nature covered by the floating clouds of deluded thoughts, so that your wisdom  and insight have no brightness and clarity. On the other hand, if you meet a greatly enlightened being and hear authentic Dharma of Teachings, then you let go of the confused attachment and the deluded thinking so that both the interior and exterior are spontaneously bright and clear, and myriad things manifest from the self-nature. This is what happens to those who have seen into the self-nature. This is what is called the "Pure Dharma Body of Buddha". ....from The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Translated by Beishi Guohan (Old Teacher Tsao)




1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen
7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/













Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Push hands playing 5



Does being present without Pure Awareness of Prajna Wisdom still work to move a player toward recognizing self nature?


1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen


7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/

Push hands playing 4



One thing t'ai chi chuan encourages  the players to do is to be aware. Movement reflects personality reflects movement. Where is the self nature in this two person expression?

1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen


7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/

Push hands playing 3



If there is ever an attachment to a Form of the Mind...anger, arrogance, vulnerability, confusion...even Lightness and Ease....that exhibits itself in the personality reflected in the movement, there presents itself the opportunity for the other player to suddenly have something solid upon which he/she can launch the other out of the circle!

1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen


7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/

Push hands playing




The True Reality of All Phenomena includes simultaneous Form, Essence and Function. All forms are unique, perfect and are not duplicated and each form is interconnected with all phenomena and simultaneously empty of self nature. To realize this, apply Pure Awareness of Prajna Wisdom to every moment of our daily life without self centeredness and in that moment we will be able to see the True Reality of All Phenomena.

1. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Audio downloads at Dharma Drum http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/teachings.php?id=av_changwen


7. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/