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This is a lovely photo-blog "From this Shore - Images of the crossing over"
“From this shore to the other shore:” a common metaphor for the crossing from samsara to nirvana, delusion to wisdom, in East Asian Buddhism.
The photographs and interviews here are part of an on-going project to both document and express the lives of Buddhist nuns.
Found via the Somewhere In Dhamma blog. _/\_
You should not consider the mind to be that which reflects upon visual forms, sounds, tastes, and tactile sensations. Many people think that the mind is simply that which reflects upon what is seen and heard and is able to distinguish between good, bad, and so forth. Thus they regard the sixth sense, the intellect, to be the mind. But such views are just delusive thinking. Before seeing, before feeling, and before thinking: what is the mind? This alone is what you have to search for and awaken to.
Kusan Sunim, translated by Martine Batchelor, from The Way of Korean Zen (Weatherhill)
Received as Daily Dharma from Tricycle.com on the 29th of May 2009
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When I first read this my mind just stopped and went blank. Re-reading it has the same effect. What is the mind?
A few moments later I realise just how much precious meditation time I spend indulging the intellect! And the same applies outside formal meditation also.
More practice.
1. Entertaining thoughts of "is" or "is not."
2. Thinking Zhaozhou said "no" because in reality there is just nothing.
3. Resorting to principles or theories.
4. Trying to resolve the hwadu (koan) as an object of intellectual inquiry.
5. When the master raises his eyebrows or blinks his eyes taking such things as indicators regarding the meaning of dharma.
6. Regarding the skilful use of words as a means to express the truth.
7. Regarding a state of vacuity and ease for realization of truth.
8. Taking the place where you become aware of sense objects to be the mind.
9. Relying upon words quoted from the teachings.
10. Remaining in a deluded state waiting for enlightenment to happen.
Edited from: Larkin, Geri. First You Shave Your Head. Berkeley, Celestial Arts, 2001, pp. 67.
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