Buddha Speaks – We Are One With Buddha

When I am working through my Zen Buddhism studies and teachings, I am constantly amazed at the the wonderful writings that have been created and handed down through the centuries. 

The passage included at the end of this article is one such writing.  It is a poem that is used in ceremony at sesshin.  I love the flow of the words and the ideas in this writing.  I love that this poem  says the same thing that other great writings say about man’s nature – that it is Buddha like, that it is God like, and that we are one with the Universe. 

I have included some key words and their meanings to help people understand the way of life that sees this poem as a ceremonial poem.

zazen – silent meditation as practiced in Zen Buddhism.

sesshin – a period of intense meditation.  “While the daily routine in the monastery requires the monks to meditate several hours a day, during a sesshin they devote themselves almost exclusively to zazen practice. Traditionally, the long meditation periods are only interrupted for a few hours of sleep, short rest breaks, meals, and short periods of work (samu); and even these activities should be done with the fullest possible attention. During the sesshin period, the monotony is a bit broken by the master (roshi) giving presentations (teisho) and individual directions  to the monks.” from www.knowledgerush.com

samadhi - Collectedness of the mind on a single object through calming and/or increasing mental activities. A diversion of mental resources from one location of the brain to another by decreasing activity in one area and increasing it in another. A conservation of energy in one part of the brain allowing increase in another. One aspect of Samadhi includes a non-dualistic experience in which the consciousness of the experiencer becomes one with consciousness itself. This occurs when all other mental functions pause except consciousness. Concentration is not samadhi. Rather, concentration helps create a mind capable of experiencing samadhi by strengthening the mind. Samadhi is not a straining concentration on one point, nor is the mind forcibly directed to an object.  from www.selfknowledge.com

HAKUIN ZENJI - SONG OF ZAZEN

(Dharma poem by Hakuin Ekaku [1685-1768]. Read as part of the ceremony at the end of the day during during sesshin.)

All beings by nature are Buddha,
as ice by nature is water;
apart from water there is no ice,
apart from beings no Buddha.
How sad that people ignore the near
and search for truth afar,
like someone in the midst of water
crying out in thirst,
like a child of a wealthy home
wandering among the poor.
Lost on dark paths of ignorance
we wander through the six worlds,
from dark path to dark path we wander,
when shall we be freed from birth and death?
For this the zazen of the Mahayana
deserves the highest praise:
offerings, precepts, paramitas,
Nembutsu, atonement, training--
the many other virtues--
all rise within zazen.
Even those with proud attainments
wipe away immeasurable crimes--
where are all the dark paths then?
the Pure Land itself is not far.
Those who hear this truth even once
and listen with a grateful heart,
treasuring it, revering it,
gain blessings without end.
Much more, if you dedicate yourself
and confirm your own self-nature--
that self-nature is no nature--
you are far beyond mere argument.
The oneness of cause and effect is clear,
not two, not three, the path is put right;
with form that is no form
going and coming--never astray,
with thought that is no thought
singing and dancing are the voice of the Law.
Boundless and free is the sky of samadhi,
bright the full moon of wisdom,
truly is anything missing now?
Nirvana is here, before your eyes,
this very place is the Lotus Land,
this very body the Buddha.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this writing.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

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