Tag: Guidance

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Late Summer/Autumn 2021 Tahoma Guidance

Vaccination required at all events.
Masks required for indoor events.


As per WA State guidelines masks are required for indoor activities for the fully vaccinated. Additionally we will continue operate at 50% capacity and the zendo has been setup with this in mind. If one finds each seat in the Zendo occupied we ask that you come at another time. 

We are limiting drop-in attendance to our events to evening zazen only. Be prepared to show proof of vaccination. Our morning chant service and Sunday Zazenkai will not be available for in-person attendance.  Zazenkai will continue to be offered virtually.

It is still best practice to stay home if you feel sick and to continue to regularly wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.

While we welcome people to freely enjoy the trails we caution against visitation at this time especially if you have traveled from afar. We ask those who do come, to stay primarily on the trails and avoid the monastery grounds during our work period (8:30-1pm) Larger groups are discouraged and should be masked. Our buildings remain closed to drop in visitors.

Autumn 2021 Schedule

Monday through Saturday
Evening Zazen (meditation): 6:25 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Full vaccination and masks required.

Sundays
Zazenkai (community sitting): 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Online only.  For more information see: Virtual Zazenkai

All other events are open to monastery residents only.

Masks and full vaccination required for in-person attendance.
Be prepared to show your vaccination card.

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Tahoma 2021 Covid-19 Guidance Phase 3 update

Washington State has embarked on our “Healthy Washington” reopening roadmap which, for our region, has reached Phase 3.  This allows for more or less the same limited public options that we had been operating under at the close of last year. As the infection rates fall and vaccinations increase we will be able to increasingly allow greater attendance at our events.   We hope to resume most of our regular events by the summer, but be prepared to be masked and distanced even if you are vaccinated. If you have an opportunity to get vaccinated do take it. For any of our offerings this year and for the foreseeable future that will be required.

We currently are open to the public for Choka (chant service) and evening Zazen and daylong retreats for a maximum of fifteen (15) people in the zendo. This is the maximum we can accommodate and maintain six (6) feet of physical distancing.  Sunday Zazenkai remains closed to the public.  Zazenkai will continue to be held virtually.

Tahoma Guidance

  1. Masks are required at all times when in the zendo, even if you are vaccinated. These are required for chanting, but note that the chant leader does not have to wear a mask but will be 15 feet separated.
  2. DO NOT come if you feeling sick.
  3. We are allowed to have a maximum of fifteen (15) practitioners in the zendo. If your party would exceed that number please come another time. 
  4. Stay Six (6) feet apart from other practitioners at all times. Allow for additional time for entering and exiting the zendo.
  5. Do not move cushions, chairs or other items from where they are. You can change or add cushions from the cabinet in the gaitan.
  6. Do not close the windows.
  7. If you start to feel sick, depart at a stretch break or during kinhin (walking meditation).
  8. Sanitize your hands before opening the zendo door.
  9. Thoroughly wash your hands.
  10. Cover your mouth/nose with your elbow or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. 
  11. Do not shake hands or hug. A gassho (bow) is sufficient.
  12. If you are in a High Risk Population only come if vaccinated.

Visiting Tahoma

We have been allowing people to visit and walk the trails and grounds. This continues into Phase 3 with no changes to our general policy. If visiting please follow these general rules.

  1. Please stay out of all buildings, except for the zendo during designated public zazen. 
  2. Do not congregate into groups. 
  3. Maintain physical distancing.
  4. Wear a mask.

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Tahoma Phase 3 Guidance (Updated)

As the Covid-19 pandemic worsens in the US, Washington State has modified it’s phased reopening plans. While Island County is in Phase 3 of the plan this has been limited to a maximum of ten (10) people indoors with masks required.  This guidance has been modified to reflect these changes.

Island County has entered  Phase 3 of the Washington State program for reopening. For Tahoma this means that we can allow more people into the zendo for zazen.  At the same time a statewide mask ordinance has been mandated. There are still limits on activities such as chanting and people in at risk groups are strongly encouraged to “stay home and stay healthy.”   Thus we will allow up to ten (10) people in the zendo for evening zazen and selected events. This is the maximum we can accommodate and maintain six (6) feet of physical distancing. Choka and Sunday Zazenkai remains closed to the public.  Zazenkai will continue to be held virtually.

Tahoma Phase 3 Guidance

  • Masks are required at all times when in the zendo
  • DO NOT come if you feeling sick.
  • Please use the hand sanitizer located outside the door before entering the building.
  • We are allowed to have a maximum of ten (10) practitioners in the zendo. If your party would exceed that number please come another time. 
  • Stay Six (6) feet apart from other practitioners at all times. Allow for additional time for entering and exiting the zendo.
  • Do not move cushions, chairs or other items from where they are. You can change or add cushions from the cabinet in the gaitan.
  • Do not close the windows.
  • If you start to feel sick, depart at a stretch break or during kinhin (walking meditation).
  • Sanitize your hands before opening the zendo door.
  • Thoroughly wash your hands. Take at least the length of time it takes to chant (to yourself!) the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo three (3) times.
  • Cover your mouth/nose with your elbow or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. 
  • Do not shake hands or hug. A gassho (bow) is sufficient.
  • It is strongly encouraged to limit outside activities if you are in a High Risk Population.

Visiting Tahoma

We have been allowing people to visit and walk the trails and grounds. This continues into Phase 3 with no changes to our general policy. If visiting please follow these general rules.

  • Please stay out of all buildings, except for the zendo during designated public zazen. 
  • Do not congregate into groups. 
  • Maintain physical distancing.
  • Wear a mask.

Further information

Washington State Mask Mandate
Effective June 26, a statewide order requires individuals to wear a face covering in indoor public spaces such as stores, offices and restaurants. The order also requires face coverings outdoors when you can’t stay 6 feet apart from others. (full order here: pdf)

Washingtons Phased Approach
Details on Washington’s phases and the restrictions involved in each one can be found here: Washingtons Phased Approach
Where we currently are at can be found here: Risk Assessment Dashboard.
 

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Guidance in the time of Corona 30

Dear All,

Already 3 months we all have been making huge efforts. Our dedication has brought us to this point today that the actual numbers of people becoming infected was not as big as assumed. I would like to thank each person who has made such great effort.

The Buddha went to Takuhatsu and in one house, there was one young man who had just washed his face, then facing the east, he bowed, facing the south, he bowed, he faced the west and bowed, he faced the north and bowed, he faced upwards and bowed, he faced downwards and bowed. The Buddha saw these dedicated bows, and went to the young man: “You are very young, yet very devoted to your bowing. Is that how you bow every day?” – “Yes, I bow daily.” – “Whom do you pray for in the east, who is it in the west, and who in the south and north?” – “There is no meaning in my bowing, I just do as my parents taught me.” – “Since you are doing something of importance, yet since you are doing it without knowing the meaning, that is a pity and is not good enough. Your bowing is very devoted, yet you need to know the purpose, I will teach you now. When you bow to the east, you bow in thankfulness to your parents who gave life to you. When you bow towards the south, you express your thankfulness towards all of your teachers, who taught you in school, taught you how to cook and sew, taught you your profession, express your thankfulness towards all who have taught you something. When you bow to the West, you express your thankfulness towards your partner and children. When you bow towards the north, you express your thankfulness towards your friends and acquaintances in life. When you bow upwards, you express your thankfulness towards those who have shown you the spiritual path and have supported you on it. When you face downward and bow, you can express your thankfulness for those who have made so many efforts to support your life.
This is called bowing in the six directions,“ the Buddha taught him.

The Buddha is teaching that we cannot lose our attitude of thankfulness towards anything we encounter. We have been supported until now and are still being supported thanks to many karmic connections, for this we can be thankful. Nowadays people have become lonely and poor in mind, this is the time we are living in.

The existence of each person is equal. We have so many natural disasters in the world, so many problems in the world and they seem to increase. And the number of people who spread their dissatisfaction onto others also seems to increase. This is where we as humans need to return to being thankful.

We may still know and be aware of our thankfulness towards our teachers, in any country in any religion this is being taught. The Buddha said: Bow towards your partner and children. He says bow towards those who are working and supporting you. Live in a way that you feel thankful for each person.

The Buddha said this 2600 years ago, when women were still looked upon as not being equal. Still the Buddha said, bow towards your wife, bow towards your husband. Truly seeing the human value of each person, and seeing the need for each relationship needing to find a balanced way in harmony.

We need to live our life with the feeling of thankfulness. In a dojo, a professional place of training, the monks learn to bow towards one another.

We can understand somehow that we bow to our partner, since he/she supports our life as well. But bowing to our children? If we are not careful, we believe that our children are our children. Seen from a Buddhist point of view this is different. The life of the children came forth from the womb of the mother yet the life energy is being passed down from ancient past. We all had a past life, and since we are only aware of what happened after we were born in this life, we do not know about what was before. We simply forgot. We were not suddenly born by chance. We all have a past. When you have many children you will know that each child has their particular abilities. This child has never heard music at home yet may have a deep appreciation for it. The parents may not be painters, yet a child may be gifted in drawing. This shows that the base for this ability may have its origin in a past life. Scientist talk about DNA yet that is not all there is to it. Each person´s personality is expressing the past life. This child has its own past life and now has the karmic connection to be born through my womb, we can only be thankful for this.

Nowadays even though hardly anyone will say so, there are many parents who see their children as their own. When we think about this, we as parents are here to stop that special ability in our child and support it in developing it further, so that it can live a life standing on its own feet.

That is why the Buddha is teaching us that we should also express our thankfulness towards our children. The parents did not make the child, but the child appeared and borrowed the womb of the mother to take form.

Many doctors and nurses and caregivers are working for those who have been infected by the corona virus, they even may become infected themselves. Yet they continue their work and make efforts. When we see this, we need to be thankful for their devoted efforts. This is the great treasure they are giving us during this time which we deeply need to be thankful for.

If we receive the teaching of the Buddha, we need to deeply feel this thankfulness from the bottom of our mind. We also continue our efforts, seeing the efforts not only the medical team but of the many people working in society.

Please everyone take this huge state of mind of yours as most important, that can see the efforts which each person is making. This is my deep wish.

(this is the final entry of the Guidance in the time of Corona, by Shodo Harada Roshi)

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Guidance in the time of Corona 29

Dear All,

Today is the 21st of May, we did let go of all the corona information for a while and had sesshin with 27 people. In 2 days we will have our next sesshin, the time inbetween is used by the people of training to look around and see the situation.

The lockdown is being relieved in many countries, in many towns, moving one step ahead. Yet the data is still showing that many people are still being infected, as well as many people dying.

I just found a DVD in my cupboard from 15 year ago, a documentary made by the BBC . For my own study I watched this DVD and was most astonished to see that the situation happening now is exactly being described in that documentary from 15 years ago.

At that time it was certain that this would happen, all types of information were showing in this direction. All this was already know by the experts, politicians, economists. Even while it had not happened, yet it was already warned that this would bring great distress to all people. In the past we have been through many pandemics, looking at these times, the Spanish fever for example, many people died at that time. Nowadays we are lucky that medicine has developed and can support people to some degree who have become infected.


Experts say that humans developed, evolved while fighting viruses. Our evolution was urged on by the viruses affecting us. Thanks to these viruses, we developed. A virus is not an enemy, yet it brings forth our life force. We do have desires and self satisfaction, this being our base, we do things not without meaning, but bring forth confusion ourselves.
Thus while we try to take one step ahead, we need to be responsible, we cannot only follow our own desires and self satisfaction. This is important for all of humanity now. We learn this now, we can develop as humans and create a society where we can help one another. How is this possible? This is where we need to focus.

In Buddhism it says: If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present face. This is the teaching of Mahayana Buddhism that all is based on cause and effect.

Humans started off fighting one another, yet as time goes by, we created a society which developed more and more social values as well, supporting also the weak in the system. When we see this, the situation now could not have been imagined by anyone. We were just living according to our desires and wishes. Now the corona virus is teaching us that we need to cooperate. We need to help one another. This is what is right in front of our face.

Now countries need to see clearly how they can continue, making depts yet supporting the people of the country now so that each person may be supported in their wish to live. We never had a situation like this and it demand great effort from all of us.

For those who have become unemployed because their company became bankrupt, they don´t know how to continue not receiving any income, those people need our support now. This is our actuality. The corona virus is our enemy yet also the source of us being able to evolve at this moment now. We have been falling apart in many different classes and countries, yet now we do need to support one another, this is our lesson now.

We can review ourselves, not just following along but checking for ourselves, how can we open or eye of wisdom, this effort is needed. In Mahayana Buddhism the mysterious not two. Self and other are not separated, they are not two. This world and me are one, past and present and future are not separate, they are tied together.

In the sutras the Dhammapada teaching the law of cause and effect by taking the sample of a lotus flower. The lotus flower does not grow in the pure mountain waters. The lotus only grows from mud and from there it blossoms. While it rises up from the mud, the flower and leaves are beautiful and have not the slightest bit of dirt or mud stuck to them. This is the mysterious not two.

Not running away from challenges, from a difficult situation and country, but taking all your strength each person can let their flower blossom. Not just as a mental idea, but in our hands, in our feet, in our efforts we need to find the truth. These efforts cannot be stopped.

This fall, whether there will be rain or storm, I still keep picking the weeds today.

Whether it will be gain or loss, joy or sorrow, this is not what we look at, but how we can live in a straight forward way, that is what we need to look at, or else it becomes mental, hoping for something better in the future. This would not be a healthy way of living.

We learn from yesterday, we have hope for tomorrow and walk each step now strongly connected to the ground. Each person needs to reflect upon the value of their life. A see of grain was the beginning, bringing forth uncountable grains. Thus we have our karma of the past, and according to our wish for the future, we can bring forth the result we have hoped for.

The pain, suffering, anxiety, loneliness of each person cannot drown us, but by taking each step with all the life energy we have, a new path opens up. This is my great wish for all.

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Guidance in the time of Corona 28

Dear All,

Ryokan says:

“Without intending it, the flower attracts the butterfly.
Without intending it, the butterfly approaches the flower.
I do not know the other
The other does not know me.
We naturally follow the universal way
When we meet, we do so without intending it.”

The flower did not call the butterfly, yet when it blossoms the butterflies gather. The butterfly fly to greet the flower? When the butterflies fly, that is when the flowers blossom. I do not know the other, they do not know me.

This poem has a deep sense. The butterfly and the flower did not intend to meet one another, yet how did it come about? They meet. The seasons change, the karma brings forth connections to other humans, this is one happening, which can be called: empty minded karmic connection.

Empty minded is a state of mind when we do not have a plan to do a certain thing and still our functioning arises. Many people are infected by the virus, which is so sad, yet so many people have recovered. We do not want to get into such a situation, yet it may happen. Whether we see it as good or bad is up to our state of mind.

We may be on a train, people are sitting next to us, the scenery is constantly changing, why is this one person sitting next to me? Why is this other person standing in front of me? We do not know one another, if we think about it, it is rather strange. It may be predestined, which is the law of an imaginary god, yet in zen there is not imagined god existing. This is where Ryokan puts it well. This imaginary god is called the law of karmic connection in zen.

Our encounters are not just created by a god. There is a cause for our encounter which is connected by invisible strings to the outcome. Ryokan says, we naturally follow the universal way. Ryokan does not leave it at an encounter coming about curiously, but says it depends on our karmic connections.

In Europe at the entrance to a town it says:

Giving the traveler a place to rest, the visitor a smile, and for the departing we wish happiness. We pray for the good for those who need to go. We have such precious chance which we encounter and how we give life to them, how we bring forth our wisdom, this is where we constantly need to look sharply at.

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Guidance in the time of Corona 27

Dear All

We already have mid May. Are you taking good care of your essence? In Sogenji we are in Osesshin, 28 people are here in training. Sitting daily 12 hours of zazen, coming for sanzen 4 times a day and teisho – all this is supporting the deepening of their practice.

In Okayama prefecture all regulations have been lifted, yet people of training do not leave the monastery, now already for 3 months they stay inside. The present situation is like a constant sesshin. The Corona time is an extreme time, yet for people of training their essence can be looked at clearly and it is a chance for further deepening. The essence grows, and there are many who can experience in their sitting that they can drink down their body, the zendo and the whole universe. This experience is not an easy one to have.
This time is a very supportive time for people of training. The ancients left their wisdom for us, we study this and use it to expel all anxiety during these unsettled times. And thus we deepen by using the guidance of the ancients.

How can we greet someone who is sick? How can we deal with us becoming sick? These points we have been looking at. Sickness shows in our body, past, present and future have effect on our being, yet if we do not get stopped by the body, we do not get confused by the body. This is the theory which does not help us, rather we need to actualize this for ourselves.

Vimalakirti teaches us how important it is to deepen. We can actually experience this, using koans, using sussokan, actually deepen in our sitting. For this we need to let go of all this information which is around, or else we cannot deepen. When we do zazen we become zazen, when we do samu we become samu. There can be no extraneous thought entered. Thus we become full and taught inside, with each breath, with each mind moment we become one with the koan. This essence then becomes real and can be experienced.
Even if we do not have this type of professional experience, Hakuin teaches us the Naikan (introspection) method:

This elixir field, located in the sea of vital energy, the lower back and legs, soles of the feet –
it is all my true and original face.
How can that original face have nose holes?
This elixir field, located in the sea of vital energy, the lower back and legs, soles of the feet –
It is all the home and native place of my original being.
What news or tidings could come from that native place?
This elixir field, located in the sea of vital energy, the lower back and legs, soles of the feet –
It is all the pure land of my own mind.
How could the splendours of that pure land exist apart from my mind?
This elixir field, located in the sea of vital energy –
It is all the Amida Buddha of my own self.
How could Amida Buddha preach the Dharma apart from that self?

Using these words, we let our awareness settle within. Not opening from one moment to the next, not making a gap and letting the essence deepen, just like blowing up a balloon. This is how full we feel. And with this all thoughts and imaginations which fill our mind during our daily life, have become torn away, all disappeared. And we only face the reality right here under our very feet. Tasting the reality of this moment only. Once we settle to this degree, we are like a blown up balloon. Our awareness becomes sharp and clear. Then simply the tip of a needle touching the balloon will make it burst. No extraneous thoughts can enter because the energy is so full and taught.

This experience is possible in a monastery but also in society if we continue our efforts. Usually we get tired in our mind by following along all sense perceptions, but when turning inside, we again can actually experience this original energy of us.

A sesshin is for this actual experience. In Sogenji we sit the golden hour for 1,5 hours. Not just 25 minutes because this does not really help us deepen in this way when our awareness can still wander around. When our zazen settles, huge energy is experienced, and then the worries and anxiety dissipates. This again gives us confidence not matter what challenge we may face. True confidence only arises from an actual experience.

Please wherever you are keep up your work and deepen your state of mind. This is my great wish.

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Guidance in the time of Corona 26

Dear All,

Some say that there may be a vaccine next year and that only in spring of 2022 the pandemic will have settled. If the restrictions are taken off too soon, there may be new cases appearing. Some people who are infected may have no symptoms while they could infect others. We do need to reflect upon our wisdom, if we were to get sick, how we can deal with this situation in the best possible way.

What this means for us in our training is that we do need to have patience. It is not about yesterday and today only, but we need to continue our efforts. We need to see how we actually can live within challenging situations. We receive the wisdom of Vimalakirti.

Vimalakirti says, “because society is sick, that is why I get sick. We need to have a huge mind and not only see our own life.” Vimalakirti taught us how we can greet and support someone who is sick. Now how about if we ourselves get sick? This is what Vimalakirti is teaching us now.

Monjusri visits Vimalakirti, yet both encounter each other with a bright mind, that it is hard to know, who is the sick person. When we get sick, we easily get depressed, we cannot go outside and depend on others support. We feel this as a heavy burden. Yet Vimalakirti does not even look as if he is sick. His state of mind is bright and clear, and the person visiting him does not feel any pressure put on him.

Monjusri asks him: “You are sick yet you do not look sick. How are you managing?” Vimalakirti answers: “If sickness catches us and we fall into sickness, that becomes a heavy weight for us. Of course, I am actually sick. I have symptoms of sickness. Yet what truly makes us sick in mind are those attachments, memories, grudges which we carry around from the past. And because of these arising, that is why we feel the pressure. It is because of those past unclarities, that we feel heaviness.”

These are not extraneous thoughts, yet they do colour our experience of the moment. We cannot get stopped by them. Our physical body which we have received from our parents may get sick, and since we identify with this body, that is why we create our own heaviness. We of course may get sick, yet it is not our body alone that feels the sickness, it is mainly our mind that feels the sickness.

Ikkyu Zenji said in his death poem:

The body that I have borrowed, today I do return it.

Because we only see the physical body, we are not aware of the huge mind, which uses this body. Of course, we do not want to get sick, yet going through the experience of sickness, we need to bring forth wisdom which helps us rise above this physical experience. We cannot stay stuck in our body only, this would be a big mistake.

It is important that we do not feel stuck in our sick body, or else we create an even greater sickness than our physical one. This is what we need to awaken to. We may feel bad, have pain, have difficulty breathing, have no appetite or sense of smell, yet we cannot let our mind get drowned within this experience.

Over 100 years ago in Japan the poet Masaoka Shiki lived, he practiced zazen from a young age. He said that Zen was about being prepared to die anytime, yet later in his life he said that he realized when he was sick, when he did not know how long he had to live, he said that Zen is not about being prepared to die anytime but Zen is about receiving this life energy anew each moment, receiving the energy to live.

Masaoka clearly looked at his own sickness, and when the end neared he called his students and gave this poem:

The Hejima flower is blooming
The mucus is filling up my throat
Is this the Buddha?

This is a flower that blosoms in June in yellow colours, this flower must have been all around, in this season he was ready to face his last moment of being sick with tuberculosis. The pain must have been huge, while the students gathered around only wished to give their teacher some relief. In this uncertain situation, he gave the first two lines of the poem, then again was struggling to get some air, the students had tears running down their cheeks. They wanted to take the pain onto themselves. They quietly sat by his bed side, waiting, when Masaoka Shiki gave the last line of the poem: Is this the Buddha?

Someone who has died is said to become a buddha yet also someone who is awakened is called a buddha. Masaoka gave this poem, his breathing must have been difficult, when this mucus fills his throat, that is the last moment. He speaks about himself as if he is watching himself from high above. It is about himself, yet his state of mind is quiet and filled with wisdom.

That is what Vimalakirti is saying, that we cannot stay stuck in our body, that we cannot drown in our suffering, if we down then we are at the end. That is not how it should be. From a high level we can reflect upon our state of mind, we can review our state of mind. It is the mind which uses this body, the mind is not stuck in this body. It does need to depart from this body at one point, yet we can awaken to our true nature and share this experience with many.

I may be suffering but there are others who suffer even more. If there is a chance, I would like to use my life to help others, to support others. That is what we need to see as important in our life, Vimalakirti is teaching us.

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Guidance in the time of Corona 25

Dear All,

Are you working hard? We do sesshin daily, we sit at least 1-8 hours per day. During the daytime we do samu, and continue zazen morning and night. Of course during Osesshin we sit for 12 hours a day. There is teisho and zazen during the Osesshin once a month, and 2-3 kosesshin every month. About 3 weeks each month we are in sesshin. Especially now everybody is able to enter deeply into their training.

Right now that the temperatures are rising and it is almost summer, the infection rate will slow down. Most likely each country will face a more relaxed situation. Maybe this autumn and winter we will again have some virus around. This situation is not about this moment but we need to look ahead on how we can deal best with the challenges we are facing.
In our surroundings we need to maintain our health, that is our responsibility. Our country has put out these regulations, yet we are not alive under these, but can perceieve from a wider view, this is what we need to learn as humans.

The Buddha said:
We are what we think, having become what we thought. Like the wheel that follows the cart pulling ox, sorrow follows an evil thought.
We are what we think, having become what we thought. Like the shadow that never leaves one, happiness follows a pure thought.

We have this body in this reality. This body receives the condition of the surroundings. At times it might be hard to know how to continue. Still our life continues, new life is born, exists and finally disappears again. This is the appearance of our life. Yet our life does not exist only for one generation, but since the birth of this planet, it has been influenced by the condition of the universe. Life came forth, humans evolved and were able to keep polishing their wisdom while adapting to each new situation. This is where we find ourselves now, that a new world has to open up.

If we look at this we are not just alive while we have this physical body, but the wisdom of the ancients is alive within us. This is where our focus has to be, that is where we ourselves now need to polish. This is what the Buddha is teaching us with these words above.

We cannot drown in this situation, but piercing from the past through the present to the future, with a bright, clear and open mind. This is where we need to place our faith.
In the olden days we had god, Buddha, yet rather than looking at it in this way, all humans can open their eyes and see this very reality. Receiving support of the people who are close to us, we see that only a huge wise mind can bring forth a revolution.

This is what the Buddha said, we do zazen with this meaning, not hoping that zazen will liberate us, but when our mind settles, we become this mind which pierces through all three times, which can go beyond time. It is not about our own happiness, but including everyone we can see how we should live, this is our lesson of these days.

We need to take this time now and the next few years to continue to open our mind, to truly awaken to our original mind. Take the wisdom of the ancients and directly use it for your own life, what do these teaching actually mean to you in your life? That is where we need to reflect.

Corona virus is not the only reason people get sick. There are many other reasons yet we need to support the sick people and be there for them in the best possible way. Or else we are irresponsible human beings.

This is where Vimalakirti teaches us on how we can support a sick person. Monjusri asks: “You are sick, we come to greet you, yet your wisdom is what we need to hear, how can we actually meet someone who is sick?” Vimalakirti replies: “We never know what will happen next in this world, we never know what will happen to our body next. This world is in constant change, we are in constant change while we cannot live forever, while we need to die eventually. This cannot be ignored. We are healthy and need to be thankful for it. We need to also prepare ourselves that we will eventually die. When we greet someone who is sick, we need to be wide in mind. Yet at that time, we cannot speak about meaningless things. “

This wide state of mind is what we can share with the sick person, giving them a sense of the hugeness of this life energy, which will continue even tomorrow. This huge state of mind is what we can give the other a sense of. Our life is just as the Buddha taught the four noble truths. This life is suffering, awaken to this fact. Do not stay with joy only but life in a way that you stay grounded, that is where we need to make efforts. Awaken to the fact that life is suffering. That is how our life is. And then the smallest joy is something we can be extremely thankful for. We do not need to try and escape the suffering, but rather while we are suffering, how should we see ourselves? How can we maintain faith in ourselves, how can we have hope – that is what brings us to wisdom.

We encounter many different situation, yet to have an idea about what we are, that does not help us any further. Rather see that we exist because of many around us who are supporting us, from there thankfulness arises. Then our state of mind widens. From there we naturally want to reach out to others and support others.

Please hold out this hand to other so that they may also liberate themselves. Of course all types of thoughts arise. These are only about the phenomenal world and are in constant change. That is where we can use our wisdom, our quiet eye, no need to hurry here, but take this wisdom as being most precious. With this wisdom you can truly meet and greet another person. Not giving the other meaningless worry or hope, rather give them deep wisdom about life, this is how we can support one another. Vimalakirti is teaching us that we cannot lose sight of this state of mind when we meet another person.

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Guidance in the time of Corona 24

Dear All,

Daily I check the news on the corona virus situation. There are some countries that continue being challenged and continue the lockdown. Some countries start to revolt and speak up again the lockdown policy. Certain factories and companies closed, so the financial deficit is hard to carry for some of the employees. Deep resentment is starting to emerge. In this way some get angry while others get depressed. Yet we need to make efforts on how to revive our own life.

When we are in a situation which we cannot escape, we need wisdom yet if it is based on mental ideas, then it does not bring forth a wide and expansive state of mind. Rather our breath gets shorter and we feel even more uncertain. How can we maintain our inner balance, this is what we need to reflect over and over again.

How can we reflect upon ourselves? Zen is not interested in anything mental, only in that actual experience of the moment, of this instant when you make a decision. That moment when we do accept or negate, how can we make sure that these decisions come from a deep state of perception? This is what we need to look at carefully.

Vimalakirti was sick and visited by Monjusri Bodhisattva. Vimalakirti said. “You do not seem to have come, neither to meet, no special ideas added to your actions. You are of a true high state of mind.” If our state of mind gets stopped by a situation, we get small and attached to it. We do not ignore reality, but when we take a wider view, we stop getting small and tight about this very situation.

We need to quietly see our own mind. Monjusri said: “Why did you get sick?” – Vimalakirti says: “I am not sick. But society is sick and when I see this, I can not ignore it. It hurts me and finally I needed to be sick, since I am at one with society. I cannot turn my back on them. To ignore them cannot be true humanity. When people are sick, I am also sick, but I do not get stuck there. I do not get anxious about it.”

Monjusri said: “Why is there nothing in your room? It is empty. Usually there would be nurses, helpers, medicine around yet here there is nothing. Why is that so?” – Vimalakirti responded: “To be empty is the world of the Buddha. This is our original mind.” Emptiness means that there is nothing on the level of form, yet on the level of mind, emptiness means while there is form existing we are not stuck on this form. If we have nothing of form, our daily life may be difficult. And if we have too much, we may feel suffocated by these many things. But even if it exists, we feel as if it is not ours, that is true essence of mind, that is the state of mind of enlightenment.

We may get sick, our breathing may be difficult. We cannot think clearly, this can actually happen. But we cannot stay stuck there or else we will feel even more stuck. Taking each and every breath to again aligning our mind, we need this daily effort, while we concentrate on the breathing, we lose track of our real situation and can again refresh our state of mind.
This is not done easily, we have so many days now that we need to bear restrictions, so each and every day we need to again make efforts, we cannot stop these efforts to settling within. From there we can refresh our energy. It all depends on our efforts.

Vimalakirti is teaching us that reality is the situation we find ourselves in. But if we add anxiety and worry, if we add confusion, we lose our essence even faster. That is not how it works. The situation does not change, yet we need to deepen our essence, by breathing into our tanden, making efforts to concentrate, while it is challenging, this essence responds and appears. We cannot let ourselves get shrunk down.

Vimalakirti said that emptiness is what we are from the origin. And we will have a reaction to the situation we find ourselves in, yet if our concentration is strong and deep, then the experience of this same situation changes completely.

In the zendo, a person of essence can use each mind moment to deepen even further. But without clear essence, the mind will travel to the past and future, to many happenings. A busy mind sitting in the same zendo next to someone who is serious and deep in essence.

We cannot let our essence get eaten up by information from the outside. We need to use each mind moment, grasp it clearly, not thinking about tomorrow, but taking the breath of the moment while we are in an uncertain situation, we have no free time to think about what might happen. But we can grasp our life energy of this moment. It is up to our efforts, we can give proof of this. Please in these times check yourself carefully whether your efforts are of true essence or not. Each person needs to reflect upon this.