Thank you JDB. Indeed we also teach "emptiness of mind".
Somehow the western Zen is stuck on the label of "mind" and would not
let go. There is even a seminar about the small mind and big mind.
Though all journeys lead to the same place.
"Mind" is too close to "thinking". It can be easily misunderstood and
misinterpreted.
We teach "empty your mind", "enhance your heart". And we continue to
say "because heart is where we could unify our body, mind and spirit."
Somehow, unify our body to the same physical structure as the universe
is not emphasized in western Zen. Most of the reading that I have
encountered with focuses mainly on the mind and its awareness, not on
the body and little on the spirit. Though we constantly talked about
body, mind and spirit, but in essence, they are one and inseparable.
Just like the universe.
In our school, awareness does not reside in the mind. Awareness is a
function of our spirit, which reside in our heart. "Heart" is not the
organic heart, but our "total well being", our "center" or "ONE".
Awareness enhancement helps us to be awakened to the Absolute Awareness
of the universe.
This brings this post to another question. What does Zen say about our
spirit? Our spiritual levels, our spiritual being, spiritual karma, the
sixth, seventh and eighth consciousness?
After several years with this forum, I have read little about these. In
other words, to be enlightened, we need to surpass karmic hindrance of
body, mind and spirit. We need to work on all three.
Otherwise, we are just imagining and hoping.
On this New Year Day, I hope this post is not too objectionable to ALL.
Happy New Year and thank you for your patience and understanding for all
the years.
JMJM
Head Teacher
Order Of Chan
Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can
http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com
http://www.heartchan.org
On 12/31/2010 10:12 PM, Rev. Joriki Dat Baker wrote:
Or the emptiness of mind.
'”I wonder if something similar could be said about mindfulness.
"Mindful" in the Western sense seems to be directing your attention in
one direction, However, maybe a better translation is "mind fullness,"
as in you experience everything with the fullness of your mind. Or am
I way off here?”
