Logos – The living Word – Dharma – Meaningful Life and Death

Meditation - Patriarchal Zen

Meditation at the rustic Honora Zen Monastery in Switzerland.

Lately we have been talking about Patriarchal Zen. Patriarch is a word that I borrowed from the Catholics because we are, in a sense, from that historical tradition. Lineage to lineage, mind to mind, and finally, you and I are here exchanging ideas one way or the other. I know many of you have been here all the way through but some of you unfortunately could not come.

You have business to take care of and other things to do. I really feel sorry about that but even though the situation is really difficult and hard you still have to push your limits at times and build strenght no matter how difficult it is. I think it is very important that you raise yourself up out of the long time comfortable zone. Get out of it and put yourself to work.

Real work! It should be a resting busy-ness. The body is deadly busy, on the other hand, mind goes only in one direction. If mind is busy, body has to rest. (Zen master Myo Vong)

Personal Responsibilty - Dharma Exchange

Personal responsibility is the most important issue. The reason is not because you have something to do in this world, but what you have been doing is actually not what you are qualified for.

Would you believe you are already in God's hand? Or rather, in the midst of God's heart? Are you aware of the fact that you are originally Buddha? Are you aware that you are the enlightened one before all other Buddhas? (Korean Patriarch Myo Vong)

If you consciously watch yourself, your mind, you would already be master of the world. You are master of the world but you have forgotten about it such a long time ago. Buddha never said he is the only Buddha and Jesus never said he was the only son of God. All the sages have said that you are the master of the World, but you just haven't realized it.