Tag Archives: Zen
Oct 12, 2024: Being Thankful
With Thanksgiving in full swing this month in North America, Lotus Vu talks about the importance of being thankful for what we have.
Sept 28, 2024: Creating Suffering when Playing the Victim
In this talk Lotus Vu discusses the first few of stanzas of the Dhammapada, as to how we play the victim creating our own suffering in the process.
2024 Yearly Retreat Intensive Talk
This talk was given by Lotus Vu to conclude the 2024 yearly retreat intensive.
Meditation Spaces
One of the challenges of practicing Zen is the having a good daily meditation routine. For myself there are two things that can really help the practice. First, dedicate a specific time to meditate everyday and stick with it. First … Continue reading
Retreat Intensive 2024
At the end of May the sangha had a yearly retreat intensive with our teacher Lotus Vu. This was my very first retreat and found the experience, with 6 hours of the day in meditation and all most a week … Continue reading
Yogacara as the Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel
(Lotus’ speaking notes of Dharma Talk on May 18, 2024) Early Buddhism and Theravada – 1st Turning Mahāyāna’s Mādhyamika – 2nd Turning Yogacara – 3rd Turning Problem with other minds How is the world known? = Through 8 Consciousnesses (8 … Continue reading
Beginner’s Course 2024
With the beginning of a new year comes the Beginning’s Course once again. This is a great introduction for those that are new to Zen Buddhism or a solid refresher of the foundations for seasoned practitioners. The course can be … Continue reading
The Rupa (Form) Jhanas
Links to John’s references for his talk on November 25, 2023 about the Jhanas.
Four Ways of Knowing
Transformation of Eight Consciousnesses from the Yogacara (四智 catvāri jñānāni) Notes from Lotus’ Dharma Talk on October 28, 2023 The way of knowing of the great reflecting mirror –mind clears The way of knowing equality – mind without afflictions The way of knowing of clear observation – absent of efforts The way of knowing perfected action – all is ok Five, six, seven, eight: the resulting fruits of planted seeds movements It only uses labels, not the true nature of reality If knowing moves without attachments Amidst bustling activities, stillness liberates. Alaya-vijnana storehouse consciousness converts to knowing of the perfected mirror. Manas-vijnana consciousness (discriminating ego) converts to knowing of equanimity Thinking/ discriminating mind converts to knowing of clear observation Five other consciousness transforms to knowing of perfected action (or the perfected mirror knowing in the sense-consciousness) The nature of knowing (Citta) (thức) is wisdom (trí). When it doesn’t know itself, it is deluded by phenomena of consciousness deluded with its factors, it is knowing in a dualistic manner. When knowing knows itself and is liberated from attachments to all phenomena of itself, it is transformed into wisdom. The essence of knowing nature (thể) is the absolute reality of unmoving stillness amidst all the … Continue reading