[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 …
Computers don’t understand the year 2000,
Human beings don’t understand what is human being.
Buddha does not understand Buddha’s birthday,
What is true Buddha?
In front of the Buddha statue offering flowers, incense and bows.
Praying for enlightenment, peace, love, and happiness,
Who will give you these things?
Buddha or …
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...When Buddha was born he said “in the heavens above and the earth below only I am holy.” But William Blake said “Everything that lives is holy.”
[Raises Zen stick over head, then hits table with stick.]
Bodhidharma said “No …
Read More...A discussion with Zen Master Dae Kwang and Father Kevin Hunt
Last summer, the Institute for World Spirituality in Chicago hosted a weekend Christian – Buddhist retreat led by Father Kevin Hunt OCSO and Zen Master Dae Kwang. Two days of silent meditation, with both Christian and Zen chanting. These …
Read More...When Zen Master Huai Jang first visited Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, he was already an experienced practitioner. After he bowed, Hui Neng asked him, “Where do you come from?” Huai Jang replied, “From Sung Shan.” The Patriarch then asked, “What thing is it that you have brought here?” Huai …
Read More...Dharma Talk given at the Providence Zen Center Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Ceremony on December 5, 1981
Thank you all for coming. I’m very happy to be here. The only trouble with these ceremonies is when you have to give a talk. Otherwise they are very easy.
In the hall outside, …
Read More...Chew, Chew, Chew
Digesting our understanding is …
Read More...March 24, 1977
Dear Jim,
Thank you for your letter. How are you?
You ask me to recommend a practice or meditation. So I ask you, what do you want? If you want something, you don’t understand correct meditation. Then I ask you, what are you? If you understand, …
Read More...Dharma speech given by Zen Master Seung Sahn at the opening of the Cambridge Zen Center Sim Gum Do Institute.
(Hitting the table with the Zen stick three times)
Everybody has been very busy, but you have all come to the opening ceremony of the Cambridge Zen Center Institute …
Read More...On Tuesday nights The Providence Zen Center holds a meditation session at the Dharma Room (Manning Chapel) at Brown University. The following is an account of one of the exchanges which has taken place there.
After one of the Dharma Teachers was finished with his introductory remarks, he asked those …