Testimonials! Zazen Is Not (Just) Meditation Practice
Last Sunday, I asked Bright Way members in attendance at the Dharma Talk to write down why they love zazen – or at least why they continue doing it. These testimonials were anonymous – papers were folded and put in a basket, and then I read them out loud. You can find these inspiring and touching offerings below.
Bendowa: Zen Master Dogen on Why Zazen Is Such a Big Deal
In the 13th century, a Japanese Buddhist monk named Eihei Dogen traveled to China to search for the truth. He discovered a teacher there who emphasized zazen above all else, and in studying with him Dogen found the resolution to his personal koan. Dogen then traveled...
Calling on the Power of Compassion
Many Buddhists throughout history have prayed to Kanzeon, the bodhisattva of compassion, for succor. That kind of prayer continues today. Kanzeon is also known as Avalokiteshvara, Kannon, and Guan Yin. Sometimes portrayed as male, sometimes as female, she's hands-down...
The Sangha Jewel: Community as a Medicine for Modern Ills
Over the last year, the Bright Way Zen community, our Sangha jewel, has grown significantly. This growth has not just been in terms of numbers (we now have 50 members), it's been in terms of maturity, commitment, investment, and strength. More and more people consider...
You Don’t Need to Improve or Get Anything to Fulfill the Buddha Way
You don’t need to improve one iota, change anything about yourself, or obtain anything you don’t already have, in order to fulfill the Buddha Way and directly experience the ultimate goal of Zen.
How Important Is It to Study Buddhist Teachings?
Study isn’t absolutely necessary, bit it’s a powerful, traditional, and possibly indispensable practice tool – but not in the way many of us might think. Study in Zen or Buddhism isn’t about acquiring knowledge. We study in order to challenge the ideas we already have.
You Can’t Walk the Path Without Help from Your Friends
Did you know admirable friendship is considered essential to walking the Buddhist path? The Buddha said “With regard to external factors, I don't envision any other single factor like admirable friendship as doing so much for a monk in training,”[i] and this certainly...
Everything Is Okay: Finding Solace by Remembering a Larger Perspective
Spiritual teachings, including those found in Zen, basically assert the following: There is a sense in which everything is okay when life is viewed from a larger perspective. The key to maintaining happiness and peace in our lives is connecting with, or having faith in, the reality of this larger perspective.
The Buddha’s Five Things to Consider Before Speaking
The Buddha taught there were five things to consider before speaking.[v] Is what you’re about to say: Factual and true Helpful, or beneficial Spoken with kindness and good-will (that is, hoping for the best for all involved) Endearing (that is, spoken gently, in a way...
Right Speech: Refraining from Lying, Divisive or Abusive Speech, and Idle Chatter
The Buddha gave quite a number of teachings on right speech over the course of his 45-year teaching career. Clearly, he taught that paying attention to how you express yourself verbally was considered an essential part of practice. Obviously, our speech has an effect...