Thay Nhuan An and Su Co Gioi Buu will spend time at Mount Adams Zen Buddhist Temple in June and July.  We are happy to welcome these two Vietnamese clergy.  Please plan a visit to meet them.

10 Buddhist Numbers

Taken from a talk by Thay Kozen. There are many groupings within Buddhism. These 10 are ones that Thay Kozen thinks we would do well to remember.

1 - There is just one - not two

2 - Two Truths - common truth and higher truth

3 - Three Treasures - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

4 - Four Great Vows - Beings are numberless, I vow to save them ,    . The deluding passions are inexhaustible I vow to end them all, The gates of Dharma are many - I vow to enter them, The Buddha's way is supreme, I vow to become it.                                                                

5 - Five Aggregates -

            rupa: form
            vedana: sensation
            samjna: perception
            samskara: formative principal
            vijanana: consciousness

6 - Six Buddhas prior to Shakyamuni           

            Vipashyin
            Shikin
            Vishvabhu
            Krakuchchanda                                                                                                            

            Konagamana 

   Kashyapa

7 - Seven Purities, purity in the;                                                                                                         
           

   the precepts 

   in heart 

            in views
            in doubt-discrimination                                                                                            
            in intellection
            in judgment

   in nirvana

8 - Noble Eightfold Path

            correct views (samyagdrsti)
            correct thought (samyaksamkalpa)
            correct speech (samyag-vac)
            correct conduct (samya-karmanta)
            correct livelihood (samyag-ajiva)
            correct zeal; effort (samyag-vyayama)
            correct rememberance of the right Dharma; mindfulness (samyak-smrti)
            correct meditation (samyak-samadhi)

9 - Nine Worlds

            Bodhisattvas
            Pratyekas
            Sravakas
            devas
            Men                                                                                                                                               

            asuras  

           animals
            hungry ghosts
            denizens of hell

10 - Ten Precepts

            not to kill
            not to steal
            not to commit sexual misconduct
            not to lie
            not to sell liquor
            not to speak of the faults of lay or home-leavers
            not to praise self or disparage others
            not to hold back teaching or materials
            not to harbor anger
            not to slander the three treasures

Sa Di Minh Thien ("Thay Z")'s monthly column

While I consider Mount Adams Zen Temple as my Sangha, I do live in Arlington, Texas.  So when I am home, I very frequently join with the "Awakening Heart" Sangha in Dallas for the shared experiences of meditation, fellowship and teachings.  It was founded by Brother ChiSing, a follower of Thich Nhat Hahn.  Brother describes the purpose of "Awakening Heart" as an organization fully based in Mindful Living, celebrating Interfaith Buddhist Spirituality with a focus on Mindfulness, Zen and Holistic Meditation.  Brother has been dealing with cancer and I have been asked from time to time to offer a Dharma talk at his Sangha.  In February, I was asked to speak on "Celebrating Wisdom".  In formulating my remarks, I recognized some of my own personal internal struggles between my concepts of Knowledge versus Wisdom.

When I first became interested in following the teachings of the Buddha, my primary focus was in learning and practicing Zazen meditation.  As my path became clearer and I approached adopting the practice of a Buddhist monk, my ego struggled with feeling less than because many of my contemporaries had so much more time in studying the Dharma than I have had.  This of course was my own ego creating these feelings of less than by comparing my meager knowledge to others who have studied for years and years.  I saw I was creating my own suffering in judging myself for not making enough progress in gaining knowledge quickly enough.

In Buddhism, I have heard it said that knowledge might be regarded as an obstacle to understanding.  Thich Nhat Hahn has said, "...that knowledge is like a block of ice that obstructs water from flowing.  If we take one thing and cling to it, even if truth itself comes as a person and knocks at our door, we won't open it.  For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them."  The Buddha, at the end of his life, told his followers to not blindly follow his teaching but to go and make them real for themselves.  This helps me make a better distinction in my mind between the concepts of Knowledge and Wisdom.

I now better recognize that while studying the Dharma and teachings of the Buddha and all the writings of wonderful teachers who came after him is worthwhile and necessary, the Wisdom of Buddhist philosophy is that we are encouraged to be discerning in regard to any teaching, to relate the teachings to our own experiences and reflect on how the teaching can help us develop insight that promotes well-being.  Clinging to anything is a source for suffering in oneself and in others.  We have all seen the damage done by individuals and groups who erect monuments (real and virtual) to their version of the truth and cling to it.  No matter how well intentioned, this fosters arrogance, self-righteousness and a closed mind.  As we gain Wisdom in recognizing these tendencies in ourselves, we are encouraged to ask ourselves if our perception is accurate and what else could be true.  I am learning to accept Wisdom as a guiding force and support it through my study to gain Knowledge. I believe that as we open the doors to an expansion of our awareness, we also open our hearts and minds to compassion and loving kindness.  What could be better than that?

As a side note, Brother ChiSing lost his battle with cancer on March 8th.  I will always have gratitude for his knowledge and loving approach to the teaching of Dharma and his wisdom that is evidenced everywhere in his "Awakening Heart Community" which continues on with the goal of reducing suffering in the world.  

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."      Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dharma Books for Prisons
Every 2 years our temple collect Buddhist books and mails them off to prisons in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona.  This year we have had hundred of books donated.  We still have the books for prisons in Arizona un-mailed, as we are waiting for them to let us know their regulations.  We include Pureland, zen, and Theravada literature in these mailings.

Debbie and Dennis pack up Buddhist books for shipment to prisons in Washington State.