The tree is a graphic symbol that’s often been used in Zen. In growing the tree of our true nature we both put down roots and allow the branches, leaves, flowers and fruit to blossom.

To put down roots is to sit in inclusive awareness. The awareness is inclusive because it is not focused on any particular thing and thus includes all things. To do otherwise would be an exclusive awareness where concentrating on one thing excludes awareness of other things.

In Zen sitting we cultivate an open awareness without dwelling on any particular thing. It is the practice of allowing things to arise through the six senses, letting them be, and letting them pass by in a constant stream. There is no reacting, indulging, attaching or holding on.

It is said in Zen ‘Put down roots and the branches and flowers take care of themselves’ and ‘Don’t seek adornments, adornments come of their own.’

To sit in inclusive awareness is to let go of a separate self, a self that is a subject opposed to an object. It is to become free or liberated from the small self.

A fuller, large self spontaneously arises. It is not separate from life. It is life! Every-thing is ourself.

This self’s mind sees all as itself, the heart feels for others as much as ourselves, the body responds to the natural responsibility of caring for others. All this arises naturally of its own accord as non-separation deepens.
To cultivate these qualities would taint them with the small self’s ideas. The Buddhist teachings of karuna (compassion), maitri (friendliness), sila (appropriate way of being in the world) arise of their own as inclusive awareness deepens.

How to integrate emptiness into daily life
Excerpt from Lama Yeshe's talk at VajraYogini Institute, France, September 5, 1983

What is emptiness? Emptiness (shunyata) is the reality of the existence of ourselves, and all the phenomena around us. According to the Buddhist point of view, seeking reality and seeking liberation amount to the same thing. The person who doesn't want to seek reality doesn't really want to seek liberation, and is just confused.

If you seek reality and you think that it has to be taught to you by a Tibetan Lama, that you have to look for it outside yourself, in another place - maybe Shangrila! - then you are mistaken. You cannot seek reality outside yourself because you are reality. Perhaps you think that your life, your reality was made by society, by your friends? If you think that way you are far from reality. if you think that your existence, your life was made by somebody else it means that you are not taking the responsibility to understand reality.

You have to see that your attitudes, your view of the world, of your experiences, of your girlfriend or boyfriend, of your own self, are all the interpretation of your own mind, your own imagination. They are your own projection, your mind literally made them up. If you don't understand this then you have very little chance of understanding emptiness. This is not just the Buddhist view but also the experience of Western physicists and philosophers - they have researched into reality too. Physicists look and look and look and they simply cannot find one entity that exists in a permanent, stable way: this is the Western experience of emptiness. If you can imagine that then you will not have any concrete concepts; if you understand this experience of physicists then you will let go of your worldly problems - but you don't want to understand.

It seems to me that we twentieth century people are against nature, against reality, the very opposite of reality. Each moment we build up our artificial, polluted ego; we cover ourselves with heavy ego blankets - one, two, ten, one hundred blankets against nature, against reality. Modern life is the product of the intellectual mind, and we create it. The intellectual mind is superstition. We don't understand reality, and the intellectual life that we lead keeps us far from reality. So we don't accept who we are. We are always looking to cover ourselves with thick blankets and say "this is me". We hide our own reality and run away from natural beauty, completely neglecting it. By not touching our reality, our modern life becomes so complicated and we create problems with our superstition. We are like a spider spinning his web, climbing on his thread then falling down; climbing up again and falling down again. In the same way we build our own intellectual web, a way of life, that is so complicated, that doesn't touch reality, that is so difficult to live in. This construction arises from our own mind and does not arise from anything else.

If I told you that you are nothing, you are zero, that you are nothing that you think you are, then you would be shocked. "What is this monk saying?" But what if I say that it is the truth! In fact you are non duality, non self existence. You do not exist, relatively or absolutely, as you think you do. If you really understood this then you would become more realistic and you would really gain satisfaction and peace. But as long as you hold on to the fantasy, concrete conception of yourself and project this wrong conception onto your environment, then no way will you understand reality... Our thoughts, our mind or consciousness are mental energy and cannot be localised in the body. It cannot be touched; it has no form and does not travel in time and space. We cannot touch it or grasp it...

What I mean is this: you should recognise how every appearance in your daily lift is in fact a false projection of your own mind. Your own mind makes it up and becomes an obstacle to touching reality. This is why, our entire life, no matter what kind of life we have, it is a disaster. If you have a rich life, your life is a disaster. If you have a middle class life, your life is a disaster. If you have a poor life, your life is even more of a disaster! You become a monk and your life is a disaster. If you become a Christian your life is a disaster. A Buddhist, disaster... Be honest. Be honest with yourself.

In fact reality is very simple. The simplicity of the mind can touch reality, and meditation is something that goes beyond the intellect and brings the mind into its natural state. We have the pure nature already, this reality exists in us now, it is born with us... The essence of your consciousness, your truth, your soul is not absolutely negative, it does not have an essentially negative character. Our mind is like the sky and our problems of ego grasping and self pity are like clouds. Eventually they all pass and disappear. You should not believe, "I am my ego, I am my problems, therefore I cannot solve my problems". Wrong. You can see. Sometimes we are so clear in our life we are almost radiating. We can have this experience right now. Now!

So it is wrong to think that we are always a disaster. Sometimes we are clean clear, sometimes we are a disaster. So, stay in meditation, just keep in that clean clear state as much as possible. All of us can have that clean clear state of mind... Actually, maybe this is the moment to meditate. My feeling is to meditate now. So, close your eyes, don't think, "I am meditating", just close your eyes and whatever view is there, whatever view is there in your mind, just be aware. Don't interpret good, bad. Just be like a light - light doesn't think "I like this, I like that".

from One Dharma, by Joseph Goldstein.

"Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche was giving teachings on relative and ultimate bodhicitta. Bodhicitta literally means "awakened heart." On the relative level it is compassion, expressed in the bodhisattva vow to save all beings; it is the aspiration to awaken from ignorance in order to live one's life for the benefit of all. On the ultimate level, bodhicitta goes beyond the concepts of self and other. It is the empty, aware nature of the mind itself. As Rinpoche was teaching about these two aspects--compassion and emptiness--there was an unexpected moment of insight as I realized that the relative level is the expression of the ultimate: compassion is the activity of emptiness. Suddenly the great and seemingly impossible burden of "someone" (me!) having to save all beings dissolved into the great expansive arena of selfless compassionate action. Compassionate action is the natural responsiveness of awareness free of self: no one there "doing" anything."

Centre News

The remaining 2009 sesshin is November 21– 27. The 2010 sesshins dates are February 13 – 19, May 8 – 14, August 7 – 13, and November 13 -19.

The last directors’ meeting reviewed finances and the fees the Zen Centre asks. Due to increases in household supplies, food and other costs it was decided to increase the fees. From now on basic monthly membership is $35; newcomer introductions are $40; one and seven day retreats become $30 and $400 respectively.

This autumn there are garden work periods after the mid-morning weekend zazen. The work is to install a south-side wooden fence to make a private back garden, to coat all the wooden fences with preservative, to make an oval kinhin circle, and to prepare the ground for three fruit trees.
Please consider helping for two or three hours on some weekends. If you able to please contact Eshin. He will co-ordinate suitable days and times.

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