What is this true meditation? It is to make everything: coughing, swallowing, waving the arms, motion, stillness, words, action, the evil and the good, prosperity and shame, gain and loss, right and wrong, into one single koan.
Hakuin EkakuRead
All beings are by nature are Buddhas, as ice by nature is water. Apart from water there is no ice; apart from beings, no Buddhas.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that all beings inherently possess Buddha-nature, like ice cannot exist without water.
Hakuin Ekaku's quote reflects the essence of Buddhist philosophy, asserting that every sentient being inherently holds the potential for enlightenment, just as ice fundamentally consists of water. The metaphor emphasizes that one's true nature is already innately pure and wise, and enlightenment is not something to be acquired externally, but rather recognized and realized from within, much like understanding that ice is simply a form of water.
In practice
In a meditation retreat, this quote could remind participants of their innate potential for enlightenment.
What is this true meditation? It is to make everything: coughing, swallowing, waving the arms, motion, stillness, words, action, the evil and the good, prosperity and shame, gain and loss, right and wrong, into one single koan.
Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.
What is the sound of one hand?
At this moment, is there anything lacking? Nirvana is right here now before our eyes. This place is the lotus land. This body now is the Buddha.
Life is a continuity always and always. There is no final destination it is going towards. Just the pilgrimage, just the journey in itself is life, not reaching to some point, no goal - just dancing and being in pilgrimage, moving joyously, without bothering about any destination.
What's really hurting me, the name Islam is involved, and Muslim is involved and causing trouble and starting hate and violence. ... Islam is not a killer religion. ... Islam means peace, I couldn't just sit home and watch people label Muslims as the reason for this problem.
For you know only a heap of broken images
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.
Life is very, very simple and easy to understand, but we complicate it with the beliefs and ideas that we create.
Antiracists must acknowledge that patriarchy has long been a weapon of racism and cannot sit comfortably in any politic of racial transformation.
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