Meditation Articles
Most Venerable Master Miao Tsan
The Chief Abbot – Vairocana Zen Monastery, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Chinese Chan Buddhism
Actually, what is the Zen? Zen is essentially an answer to the quandary of human existence. Whereas we tend to be confused, Zen is focused; we are burdened by concerns and anger, but Zen is free and open; we are fearful and misguided, but Zen is calm and direct. Zen is a discipline through which the individual, whether as a student or practitioner, can cleanse his or her mind of impure thoughts, bias, and worry. An ancient branch of Buddhism, its primary exponent was the Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng (638 – 713 BCE), a master who, in honor of the Buddha and his enlightenment, shared the teachings of strength through peacefulness and acceptance over many years, not only in his native China but also in Japan and Korea. So, what was originally called Chan was pronounced by the Japanese as Zen. The five schools of Zen can trace their lineage to Master Hui-Neng, and his teaching–as recorded in the Platform Sutra–is the essential source for the study of early Zen teaching. Today there are millions of Zen practitioners throughout the world, and for each the quest for spiritual fulfillment is a rich journey of discovery. Zen is ultimately an acknowledgment of “Mind” as the Creator, through which one seeks a place of peace amid all the realms of the universe.
Most Venerable Dharma Master Hsin Tao (Chan Master Hsin Tao)
Founder of Museum of World religion, Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society, Museum of World Religions (MWR), and the Global Family for Love and Peace (GFLP)
The Essence of Zen Meditation
Zen is simply your Ordinary Mind. Keeping nothing in your mind, you can then be as productive and creative as you could be! Zen is life itself. If you want to make your life blossom and open up, you need to do Zazen. Zen is actually the full blossoming of your own beautiful life. Zen gives you a wonderful perspective on the panorama of Life. Zen’s essence itself is primordially perfect and complete. You can’t find any faults or imperfections in it. And your life is of course very rare, wonderful and utterly precious. You should seize and savor this precious human life to seek for the Ultimate Wisdom of Zen. When you attain Zen, you can control your life and death. Unlike the fleeting and eroded sand and soil, you can now master your mind and your life. I am promoting Zen in overseas countries nowadays. Many westerners are very interested in Zen meditation. I introduced them a special type of Zen practice that I called “Peace Zen” – which has a very clear and systematic four steps in its practice. The preliminaries and the results of this Peace Zen are very clear and productive, and they can practice it with unwavering faith and one-pointed diligence. This systematic approach enables them to understand, practice and realize the essence of Zen in a simpler and more humanistic way. Ultimately speaking, Chinese Zen (Chan) has no gradual steps.
Most Venerable Master Zhengyan Guo Jun Thero
Worldwide Popular Chan Master and Chief Abbot of Mahabodhi Temple, Singapore
Chan Meditation - Heart to Heart….
In Chan, we sit in meditation, always coming back to the breath, coming back to the present moment. Why is sitting “the practice” of Chan? Why is it so fundamental? Where does it come from? Is it our practice because Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree when he became enlightened? Or because, legend has it, Bodhidharma, the first Chan patriarch, sat in front of a blank wall for nine years? Perhaps. But I would like to talk about sitting and Chan from another angle. Sitting is a part of our daily lives. We take a rest by sitting. We sit to eat, draw, write, and talk with friends. When we share good things, we sit. You don’t really have a good chat with someone when you are standing up or walking. When you want to talk heart-to-heart, you sit. Sitting brings people closer together. Sitting is a foundation. It’s part of our development, both as individuals and as a species. The child must learn to sit before he can stand up. We distinguish ourselves from animals because we stand upright. Animals crawl. Sitting is the transition between animals and humans. With sitting, we are able to concentrate for long periods. It is our creative posture, our posture of concentration and absorption in the work of the mind and dexterous tasks. It is said we evolved as humans when we were able to stand upright and use our hands.
Most Venerable Dr. Galle Udita Maha Nayake Thero
The Chief Sangha Nayake of Singapore & Malaysia, Senior Religious Adviser of Buddha Vihara Society, “Sihapura Sanghapati”
Mind is called Mana, Citta, or Vinyaana. It is also called Naama because it stands by name only and it is tending to all physical actions. Mind plays most salient role in our life with material elements. It is also called Naamaskhandha as it contains four aggregates of psychic factors namely feelings, perceptions, thoughts and consciousnesses. (Vedanaa, Sanyaa, Sangkhaara, Vinyaana) Feelings are mainly threefold namely sukha Vedana (happy feeling) Dukkha Vedanaa (unhappy feeling) Upekkha Vedanaa (neutral feeling). Perceptions are six such as perceptions regarding form, sound, order, taste, touch, and thoughts. ( Rupa Sanyaa, Sadda Sanyaa, Gandha Sanyaa, Rasa Sanyaa, Photthabbha Sanyaa, Dhamma Sanyaa)
Sugath Rajapakse
BSC-Graduated Peradeniya University, Formerly Senior Commercial Manager at Sri Lankan Airlines and Formerly Senior Consultant to Air India GSA in Sri Lanka
Mangala Sutra Meditation and Ten Parami….
Mangala Sutta is recited by Bhikkus in temples as well as in Pirith Ceremonies and also by lay people at marriage ceremonies, laying foundation stones, taking office by political personage etc. Often it is recited to bestow happiness and contentment to all people and even the deities. But was this discourse expounded by the Enlightened One purely for such purposes or for greater sublime super mundane objectives? To understand the sublime super mundane aspects, it is necessary for one to delve into the sutta and try to see the inner content and not merely from an optical perspective. In venerating the Dhamma preached by the Enlightened One, we use the words, “opaniko pachchaththan vedithabbo vinnuhiti”. It means getting ever closer to the truth the wise will comprehend through self. To briefly touch upon the reason for Enlightened One to deliver this discourse, it was due to great debate that went on in this realm and indeed in godly realms as well regarding what the Mangala reasons are. In those days there were three schools of views namely, Seeing the good is a blessing / Hearing the good is a blessing / Touching the good is a blessing
