Encouraging Words

Seamless Tomb

Emperor Su Tsung asked the National Teacher Hui Chung, “After you die, whatwill you need?” The National Teacher said, “Build a seamless tomb for me”. The Emperorasked, “please tell me master, what does this tomb look like?” The National teacher remained silent for a long time and then asked, “do you understand?” The Emperorsaid, “I dontunderstand”. The dialogue continues. The

Read More

Silent Illumination

 Subhana gives meditation instructions, an introduction and guided meditation practice on Silent Illumination.  Silent Illumination is a both a practice and the direct realisation of mind.  It was developed by Chinese Zen master Hongzhi and has its roots in Shamata Vipassana practice of early Buddhism.  It was later called Shikantaza in Japanese Zen &/or Just Sitting.   This teisho was given by Subhana Barzaghi

Read More

Save a Ghost

In our Miscellaneous Koan collection there is a koan that asks us to “Save a ghost”. It offers us a rich contemplation on the nature of salvation, and what manifesting that salvation for others looks like. The great vow of saving the many beings means bringing forth our practice, which in turn means actualising the Bodhisattva path and responding to

Read More

ME ME ME!

Recently, I was fortunate to be invited to attend a ceremony at the retreat centre Karuna in Katoomba. The occasion was the gifting of a bowl which had held the ashes of Thich Nhat Hahn. This was a gift from the Mountain Spring monastery in Bilpin in the Blue Mountains to Karuna. Apart from the Plum Village monastics who conducted

Read More

post categories

Popular Class