Originally, one's own mind and nature are pure, and there is nothing to accept and nothing to refuse; there is neither existence nor non-existence; there is only clear understanding without attachment and with no dwelling. One who wants to know the no-attachment, no-dwelling mind can find it through meditation, because it is only then that the mind does not think of right and wrong, of good and evil or of self and others.
A new 49 day Winter Retreat will start on December 17, led by Master Henry. We will be following the ‘standard’ retreat programe with plenty of meditation, & periods of silence as well as the opportunity for one-to-one practice reviews, pre-registration is highly suggested, if you wish to come and practice for a shorter period of time drop ins will be welcome, please phone in advance.
What to bring:
Sleeping Bag Comfortable & warm clothing Winter Boots Flashlight
His Holiness Hui Neng (638-713) , who became the great Sixth Patriarch of Ch'an (Japanese Zen) was a poor illiterate peasant boy from Hsin Chou of Kwangtung. One day, after he had delivered firewood to a shop, he overheard a man reciting the following line from the "Diamond Sutra" - "Depending upon no-thing, you must find your own mind." Instantly, Hui Neng became Enlightened. The full verse said: "All Bodhisattvas (Compassionate Ones) should develop a pure mind which clings to no-thing whatsoever; and so he should establish it."
The man who recited this sutra encouraged Hui Neng to meet the Fifth Zen Patriarch, Hung Jen, at the Tung Chian Monastery in the Huang Mei District of Chi Chou. Hui Neng said to the Fifth Patriarch: "I am a commoner from Hsin Chou Kwangtung (today, near Canton in the south of China). I have traveled far to pay you respect, and I ask for nothing but Buddhahood." "You are a native of Kwangtung, a barbarian? How can you expect to be a Buddha?" asked the Patriarch. "Although there are northern men and southern men, north and south make no difference to their Buddha Nature. A barbarian is different from Your Holiness physically, but there is no difference in our Buddha Nature." Master Hung Jen immediately accepted Hui Neng as his disciple, but he had to hide this fact from the very educated northern monks at the monastery. At the time of the Fifth Patriarch, Ch'an was still influenced by Indian Buddhism, which did not emphasize direct awakening, but the importance of study and metaphysical debates. To protect Hui Neng, the Patriarch sent him to the kitchen to split firewood and pound rice for eight months.
One day the Fifth Patriarch told his monks to express their wisdom in a poem. Whoever had true realization of his original nature (Buddha Nature) would be ordained the Sixth Patriarch. The head monk, Shen Hsiu, was the most learned, and wrote the following:
The body is the wisdom-tree, The mind is a bright mirror in a stand; Take care to wipe it all the time, And allow no dust to cling.
The poem was praised, but The Fifth Patriarch knew that Shen Hsiu had not yet found his original nature, on the other hand, Hui Neng couldn't even write, so someone had to write down his poem, which read:
Fundamentally no wisdom-tree exists, Nor the stand of a mirror bright. Since all is empty from the beginning, Where can the dust alight
The Fifth Patriarch pretended that he wasn't impressed with this poem either, but in the middle of the night he summoned Hui Neng. The Fifth Patriarch gave him the insignia of his office, the Patriarch's robe and bowl (source). Hui Neng was told to leave for the South and to hide his enlightenment and understanding until the proper time arrives for him to propagate the Dharma.
To meditate means to realize inwardly the imperturbability of the essence of mind.
Those who train themselves for imperturbability should, in their contacts with all types of men, ignore the faults of others.
As to the dharma, [teaching, path] this is transmitted from heart to heart, and the recipient must realize it by his own efforts.
All depends on self-practice.... "
The Sutra Spoken by the Sixth Patriarch on the High Seat of the Treasure of the Law, otherwise known as The Platform Sutra of Hui-neng.
Hui-neng's life-story was fortunately preserved for us in the sutra text, in the record of his first public talk, which he began as follows:
Learned Audience, our essence of mind [literally, self-nature], which is the seed or kernel of enlightenment [bodhi], is pure by nature, and by making use of this mind alone, we can reach buddhahood directly. Now let me tell you something about my own life and how I came into possession of the esoteric teaching of the Dhyana school.
Hui-neng said that when he heard the sentence "One should use one's mind in such a way that it will be free from any attachment," he "at once became thoroughly enlightened and realized that all things in the universe are the essence of mind itself."
Thousands of years ago, the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. He realized that all sentient beings possess inherent Buddha nature with the potential to achieve ultimate freedom, eternal peace and perfect enlightenment
Ch'an, widely known as Zen in the West, is directly seeing one's true mind, which is the mind of the Buddha. The object of ch'an training is to realize the mind for the perception of (self-)nature.
At Sunshine Zen Centre, one learns Buddha's teachings, Introduction to Chan Meditation and advanced meditation methods to experience Cha'n. All classes are free of charge and open to public.
Regular Meditation Schedule open to all public Thursday 7- 9 pm and Sunday's from 9 -12 am
A 49 day Summer Retreat will start on July 13th 2008, under the instruction of Master Chieh Harne aka Master Henry pre-registration is highly suggested, if you wish to visit for a short time drop ins will be welcome please phone in advance
The Monastery is located is located near Pender Harbour off Highway 101 on the Sunshine Coast of BC. The Sunshine Coast is accessible from the rest of the Lower Mainland only by boat or airplane. Travellers aboard BC Ferries leave Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver for the 45-minute ride to Langdale on the Sechelt Peninsula. Highway 101 links Langdale with Pender Harbour, approximately 31 miles (50 km) to the northwest.
We are supported by your generous donations. For registration/inquiries please contact
Sunshine Zen Centre 11148 Sunshine Coast Highway 101 Canada V0N 1Y2 Tel/Fax:604 883 1167 sunshinezentemple@gmail.com
Come and experience Cha'n with us!
Picture
Master Henry at the
Chan Hall on the opening day ceremony for the first 49 day Ch'an Retreat at the Sunshine Ch'an Temple July 13th 2008
Photo Credit
Jorge
Self-Cultivation has no other method; It requires but knowledge of the Way. If the Way can only be known Birth and death at once will end
Ch'an began with the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, when in his "now" famous “Flower Sermon.”
One day the Buddha took his seat before his assembled monks and, instead of speaking, remained silent while holding a single flower aloft in his hand.
Of those assembled, only one disciple Mahakashyapa (Sanskrit: “Great Kashyapa”), understood the meaning of the Buddha’s actions.
The Buddha publicly recognized Mahakashyapa’s realization and he, in turn, passed the wordless teaching along to his disciples.
Eventually the transmission passed to Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma transmitted his Mind-Seal of Dharma to China: " When Master is pointing out the Mind directly, you discover your own Original Nature is no different from Buddha's"
The Teaching given by Bodhidharma to his Dharma Heir, the Second Patriarch Hui Ko (487-593), also known as Sheng Kwang is"
"Drop all discursive thoughts and all attachments. Rest your mind. Like a wall, don't be influenced by internal and external factors; only then, can you enter the Buddhist Path."
According to earlier translators "Ch'an derives its name from the Chinese term channa, an attempted transliteration of the Sanskrit term dhyana (meditation, concentration)"
Master Henry & the Author of the Blog Jorge
Sunshine Ch'an Temple September 2005
