Thursday, July 23, 2009

Meditation Retreat 2009

A university professor visits Master Nan-in to find out about Zen.
Nan-in serves him tea, but keeps pouring even tho' the cup is full.
"Master, the cup is overflowing. Please stop.".... "you are like this cup,
full of your own views. If you do not empty your cup how can i show you Zen?"





The non-dwelling mind is the mind of the Buddha, it is the mind of liberation, it is the mind of Bodhi, and it is the mind of non-birth. So, if you really want meditation to come about, sit properly erect and close your eyes. Then purify your mind, lay down everything and think of neither good nor evil. Just observe your thoughts. As you look for their place of origin, you discover that they suddenly rise up and just as suddenly disappear, and that this process goes on and on. Be patient and continue to observe them, and you will, in time, know the thoughts to be devoid of any self-nature; also you will, thereby, know original emptiness. Do not attempt to follow the thoughts, to trace them in any way or have any intention of getting rid of them, and, in time, awareness will manifest as your mind illumines a thought. Then, there will suddenly be a stillness that becomes suchness. At some point, another thought will arise, and you will observe it in the same way.

Do this at least once a day, sitting from fifteen minutes to an hour. As your concentration deepens, your thoughts slow down and diminish in number, and your power of illumination increases until you eventually find out that not a single thought arises. Then, there is only stillness and voidness, for then the mind is clear and pure. This is your self-nature as known directly through wisdom (Prajna)

Author by

Dharma Master Lok To
based on the meditation manual
of Ting Chen





A 30 day meditation retreat will take place in the Sunshine Zen Centre, under the guidance of Master Henry, if you require further information please contact the Monastery by phone or e-mail us at sunshinezencenter@gmail.com

Dates

August 20 2009

to

Sept 20 2009



Namo Amituofo

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