Human life has no meaning, no reason, and no choice, but we have our practice to help us understand our true self. Then, we can change no meaning to Great Meaning, which means Great Love. We can change no reason to Great Reason, which means Great Compassion. Finally, we can change no choice to Great Choice, which means Great Vow and Bodhisattva Way.
By Zen Master Seung Sahn
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
The truth is, we don’t know what happens when we die. The Buddhist teaching about death can be helpful in that it gives us a good feeling, some sense of comfort in this mystery. This framework that can be helpful in the grieving process, but the Buddha taught that originally there is no life or death. Our true self is infinite in time and space. Don’t Know Mind doesn’t have a beginning or an ending.
Zen Master Seung Sahn’s teaching is to wake up in this moment and attain our true nature. When we keep a Don’t Know Mind we are addressing the big question of life and death moment to moment. The big meaning of a 49-day memorial ceremony is to wake up just now. Actually, whenever anybody dies, they are teaching us that we must wake up, because our lives only occur in this moment [snaps fingers]. Just that.
Tim Lerch JDPSN
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
Student: Buddhism have Hinayana, Mahayana, Tibetan & Zen, how do I know which is the best for me?
Zen Master: (Pick up a glass of water) Please taste this. (Student then drink the glass of water.)
Zen Master: When you are drinking the water, you by yourself will know its cold and warm. (The student seemed to attain something and he continued his meal.)
When the student started to eat, Zen Master again asked: Is this Hinayana, Mahayana, Tibetan or Zen? (Student returned with a big smile and happily enjoyed his food.)
Commentary:
Buddhism consists of eighty four thousand teachings. They all help us to wake up from our illusion. If you only attached to words and its differences, you cannot taste the truth. Zen means put it into practice. Don’t indulge in empty talk.
Zen Master Dae Kwan
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
I often talk about primary point. What is primary point? When you have a scale and there is nothing being weighed, the indicator points to zero. You put something on it, and the pointer swings to “one pound.” You take it off, the pointer goes back to zero. This is primary point. After you find your primary point, then good feelings come, bad feelings come, so your pointer swings in one direction or the other. But this doesn’t matter. Don’t check it. When the feeling is over with, the pointer swings back to zero.
But if you haven’t found your primary point, then it is like taking a heavy object off of the scale and having the pointer stay at “ten pounds.” Or the pointer moves back only part-way, it doesn’t go completely back to zero. Then you have a problem. Your scale does not weigh correctly. Maybe if you put a heavy object on it, it will break completely. So first you must find your primary point. Then you must keep it very strongly.
A taxi has weak shock absorbers, so it hits a small bump and bounces up and down. A train has strong shock absorbers, so it is very steady. If you keep your primary point, your mind-spring will become stronger and stronger. You will meet big problems and your mind will move less and less. A big problem comes, your mind moves, but soon returns to primary point. Finally, your mind will be very strong; it will be able to carry any load. Then saving all people is possible.
Zen Master Seung Sahn
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
A student once asked Su Bong Zen Master at a dharma talk: his friend wanted to come to the Zen center to practice but he had no time, because he had a family, he had a job, he did volunteer work and he had to attend the functions of his company. What could he do?
Su Bong Zen Master said: “A Zen-style answer means put it all down, that’s all. I am this, this, this. I want this, this, this… but I cannot this, this, this … what shall I do? That’s not necessary. Put it all down and what? Just do it. Without checking: ‘Should I be doing this or this? Which one is more important?’ Then, when you are doing something and just do it, you would have time for everything. I do my job but should I be doing something else? So your job takes twice as long.”
“You all understand by your experience, without me telling you, how much time you waste wondering should I be doing this or that. But if you just do it, it would all be finished. There would be no extra baggage. That name is meticulous, meticulous and complete. So I said put it all down, that means your checking mind.”
“Many of our teachers don’t have time. They are laymen just like you. They have very important positions and they have families and they must work very hard to make everything come together. But they only try and they got it. So this try mind is necessary. You cannot get anything with excuse mind.”
Zen Master Su Bong
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
Clear mind is like the full moon in the sky. Sometimes clouds come and cover it, but the moon is always behind them. Clouds go away, then the moon shines brightly. So don’t worry about clear mind: it is always there. When thinking comes, behind it is clear mind. When thinking goes, there is only clear mind. Thinking comes and goes, comes and goes. You must not be attached to the coming or the going.
Zen Master Seung Sahn
From Dropping Ashes on the Buddha
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
When we are really stuck, when we don’t know, when we have this “Don’t Know” completely, then everything, whatever you hear, whatever you see, whatever you touch, everything becomes Buddha. Everything is like what it is. There is nothing to add, nothing to take away. Everything is okay. So we sit. We sit, looking, perceiving how the thoughts are coming, going, coming, going. This is actually all that we are doing. Our work during sitting time is to sit and watch as thoughts are coming and going. And don’t touch this; then the thought itself is Buddha.
Zen Master Gu Ja
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
Often Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “If the direction of your life is clear, then your whole life is clear. If your direction is not clear, then your life will always be a problem.”
The reason we practice Zen is to understand ourselves completely, attain our original nature, and save all beings from suffering. This is our direction – the original job of all human beings. In this, there is no “I, my, me.” If we have “I, my, me” then we will get suffering, guaranteed.
One time a monk came to Zen Master Seung Sahn and said that he wanted to stop being a monk because the monk’s life for him was a living hell. Zen Master Seung Sahn replied, “If your direction is clear, then even living in hell is not a problem.” This means if you want to help this world, then even suffering should not be a hindrance. Most important is direction. If your direction is clear, then the suffering you experience becomes “Big Suffering” and helps this whole world. So, what do you want?
Zen Master Dae Kwang
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
Question: Recently I saw a calligraphy of yours in the U.S. which said, “Freedom from family karma.” What does this mean? Why is this important?
Zen Master Seung Sahn: The basis of the family is emotion. Emotional connections make the family. But, emotion and love are different. Emotion means opposites feeling: like/dislike, good/bad, mine/yours. Love means there are no opposites–only giving, giving, giving–always giving.
Understanding is in our head; emotions are in the heart. Our center–the tantien–is just below the navel. If you keep all your energy there, then you can digest your understanding and your emotions. Emotions are then changed into great love and great compassion. Also, your understanding then becomes wisdom. So, when your center becomes strong you can control your feelings, your condition, and your situation. When these become clear, then our true job appears: help all beings. That’s the great bodhisattva way.
Zen Master Seung Sahn
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)
So you have to find the source of attachment. How does it appear? How does attachment appear? What is first? Pew! Something appears in your mind and then pew! This thing grabs it. It is like an impulse. That is why we have meditation, which is the laboratory of the mind. When you practice, two things happen. You start to see clearly your karma. So you get insight into the habits of your mind. But at the same time more and more space start to appear because your don’t know expands. Ok? Finally, very clearly you start to perceive that habits are just like clouds showing up on the sky. This is the work of meditation. That is what we have the training for. So just practice and the practice will show you the way.
Zen Master Joeng Hye
(From The Kwan Um School of Zen)