by Zen Master Man Gong
1. If you say “buddhadharma,” already that’s not buddhadharma.
2. Everything, as it is, is buddhadharma. If you get up on a soapbox to preach about buddhadharma, the meaning is already lost.
3. Material things are to be used; Mind is the basis. When Mind …
[Raises the Zen stick over his head, then hits the table with the stick.]
BOOM!
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
Our world is always changing-sometimes fast, sometimes slow. When the change is fast, we suffer a lot. Our world changing fast means volcano, earthquake, tsunami, war. Everything is changing …
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Cloud is mountain, mountain is cloud.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Originally no cloud, no mountain.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Cloud is cloud, mountain is mountain.
Which one of …
Zen Master Soeng Hyang and Kwang Myong Sunim, JDPS
Kwang Myong Sunim JDPS: This workshop is entitled “Death, Dying, and Kong-ans.” Maybe we could start with a kong-an: what is death? [Pause] …
Read More...On November 8, 1998, Gae Mun Sunim received inka from Zen Master Seung Sahn at Kwan Yin Chan Lin, our Zen Center in Singapore.
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
At this point, receiving inka is losing inka. We say form is emptiness, emptiness is form. …
Read More...This talk was given during a retreat at Providence Zen Center, October 1983.
Adeline: I have a friend named Terry who is missing. She was in a small plane that crashed in the sea. So everyone assumes she died. But if she is dead, where is she?
Zen Master …
Read More...One Sunday, while Seung Sahn Soen-sa was staying at the International Zen Center of New York, there was a big ceremony marking the end of one hundred days of chanting Kwanseum Bosal. Many Korean women came, with shopping bags full of food and presents. One woman brought a large bouquet …
Read More...A Dharma Speech given by the Zen Master Seung Sahn at the opening ceremony of the International Zen Center of New York on April 20, 1975
(Holding up his Zen stick and hitting the table, slowly, three times)
Is this closed? Is this open?
If you say “closed”, you …
Read More...A Student wrote to Zen Master Seung Sahn:
In the Fall, there are leaves on the ground. If they are on a lawn, someone may come out of a house and sweep them into little piles. In the afternoon the wind comes and blows all the leaves away. Many …
Read More...On June 16, 1974 we held an opening ceremony for our new home. On this occasion Zen Master Seung Sahn delivered the following Dharma message:
(Striking the table) Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
(Striking the table) No form, no emptiness.
(Striking the table) Form is form, emptiness is emptiness. …
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