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The Case: A Monk asked Yunmen, “When not producing a single thought, is there any fault or not?”
Yunmen said, “Mount Sumeru.”
The Verse: Not producing a single thought—Mount Sumeru;
Yunmen’s gift of teaching is not stingy in intent.
If you come with acceptance, he imparts with both hands;
If you go on doubting, it’s so high you can’t get a hold.
The blue ocean is wide,
The white clouds are peaceful;
Don’t put so much as the tip of a hair in there.
A phony cock crow can hardly fool me—
I still won’t agree to let you pass through the gate in confusion.
Continue reading ‘Yunmen’s “Sumeru”’
It’s time to connect with the eSangha. Time to join and give thanks to those who have recently inspired me in some way.
Continue reading ‘eSangha #13’
In some texts, there is talk of ten dimensions, immeasurable kalpas, and Indra’s net. What are all these texts talking about? These are all trying to say we are an expression of life. That we are all living. Essentially by being, we are creating. We are the creation, and the creator.
Continue reading ‘Multi Faceted Universe, Life’
At Work in the Wild and Cultivated World. Wonderfully written by Wendy Johnson, a 30+ year monastic and head gardener from Green Gulch Farm Zen Centre. Wendy encourages us to enter the world of our physical and mental gardens.
Thich Nhat Hanh is quoted saying “Too many people distinguish between the inner work of our mind and the world outside. But these worlds are not separate. They belong to the same reality.” This reality is a non-repeating universe, “fresh and new every day”, as Wendy says.
Continue reading ‘Book Review:Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate’
Over the past week or so, a new feature’s been launched, there’s been an update to the Meditation Timers, and for now, an Editor’s stepped on board. After the jump, embedded, is also one of my favourite Watt’s clips looking at the two kinds of people, Prickles and Goo, and the middle way of reality. Continue reading ‘Site Updates’
Bringing mindfulness into the world can be challenging. We can, however, turn the world into a place of practice. Each moment we live is a chance to be mindful and present, never to be repeated again. Developing mindfulness is important to help us live presently in life. Here we look at a few personal and reader tips that have helped us view the Big Blue Room as a place of practice and mindfulness.
Continue reading ‘8 Ways to Develop Mindfulness’
It’s time to connect with the eSangha. Time to join and give thanks to those who have recently inspired me in some way. With the Spread the Love Now Project, I’ve found a lot of new blogs, it’s a very exciting time.
Continue reading ‘eSangha #12’
D.T. Suzuki was quoted as saying that “before studying Zen, mountains are mountains. While studying Zen, things become confused. After studying Zen, mountains are mountains.” This was one of the first Zen sayings I heard, and it continues to resound in me.
Continue reading ‘I Breathe, Mountains are Mountains’
