SokukoJi Buddhist Temple Monastery

Observing doesn't fixate. The tendency of the mind is to fixate in order to protect an imaginary person. If you’re actually observing you won’t latch onto anything. As soon as you lock down on anything, that’s fixation. You can sit down and just collapse into whatever this is. https://youtu.be/Dakz8DTUubI

Look closely at your mind - that’s what you’re here to do. It doesn’t matter what happens, what matters is your intention. Consciousness has nerve endings. Be grateful for those feelings and be grateful for this precious human birth. https://youtu.be/1yhg0h4i3NQ

Look at the confusion that arises in your mind relative to what’s happening with your interactions with others, whether pleasant, boring or disturbing. Rather than look for the cause of the confusion, train yourself to see what this is fundamentally by looking at the confusion directly. This is done through the sitting practice of meditation. https://youtu.be/HgotzWl4Hww

When anything comes up in your mind, before the naming comes, before you even call it confusion, just observe. The original situation is what needs to be seen. That's the dharma gate. https://youtu.be/MFrJ_u6HLMI

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Karma is Sanskrit for action. The simple karma of cause and effect is what most of the world is trapped by; the illusion that ‘this caused that’ and you can do something to stop it. If you wrestle with your life, you’ll miss it. https://youtu.be/d58KP0AtzCQ

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This is to help people see how they can work with relationships: listen 90% of the time and talk 10%. It’s an impossible form, but it lets you know just how much you run your mouth. Listen to everyone, even if they’re not saying anything yet. https://youtu.be/zMbaAzo9ATU

Don’t ignore the silence by grasping onto what creates the idea of a space or silence. Something comes up in our mind as language about everything. The quality of thought has different dimensions or depths to it. Get used to that and get to know yourself by watching your mindstream. https://youtu.be/K6jHmMsz2rk

All dharmas are without fault and without blame. It’s about awareness of what’s happening and not about a success story. It’s very hard not to judge or blame. Have the courage to look at what shows up in your mind steam moment by moment, even though there are no actual moments. https://youtu.be/lpQg1ZpA0A0

This is often missed because we put our ideas, our thoughts, our memories and our judgements over the top of something that is completely shimmering in front of us. It’s wordless. https://youtu.be/zhuoz7trqI4

This is a continuation from Saturday’s all-day sesshin talk. Relationships are always changing, always difficult. Whatever is showing up that’s coming toward you as an Apparent Other, just receive it. It’s not exactly other than you. https://youtu.be/KfAHskq7Y_k

The forgiveness I am addressing here is not about the minor things having to do with being polite and respectful of other people. I am talking about when you think you can forgive somebody for something. You cannot. This just perpetuates the confusion that we’re dealing with all over the world, all the time. First, don’t blame, then you won’t be drawn to forgive anybody. https://youtu.be/A5uPtKAj6...

If you see what this is it’s very mirror-like. It’s not reflecting anything other that that which is observing it, which is consciousness. Everything you see is mirroring you all the time. The encouragement with the this example is to see that its objectivity resides mainly in what’s being reflected in it. https://youtu.be/LCmIbhwgvW8

Radical in the sense of going to the root of something means first looking at what is showing up. You’re going to have to look at the stems and leaves before you can find the root. I’m recommending to you that you don’t waste another minute of your life not looking at what this is fundamentally. https://youtu.be/drP3i0HErpI

Starting with the sitting practice of meditation, just sitting still without being focused, there’s a that edge arises. Then there’s an overlap; that’s the protective part. That’s where we see the way we begin to disguise ourselves and come to conclusions about who we are. Don’t so anything with that. Just observe. https://youtu.be/KMNFd4wYNZ4

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Learning is not about facts, although we may need some relative knowledge. We need to be respectful of the different ways people receive and handle information. Do not set up standards; that can actually flatten things out. https://youtu.be/CO4346n0QJk

What I’m endeavoring to point to is very challenging and very difficult to see. I’m endeavoring to give your true identity back to you, simply put. Seeing what this is looks like you don’t really see anything. It’s empty of what appears but it’s full of what it is. https://youtu.be/vuSpwDasaA4

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche brought this concept up to date when he came to the west. I prefer to use the word protector; The ultimate warrior protects the world. I say don’t go to war, don’t go to peace. Don’t take a position. https://youtu.be/Fh9f0a31K0c

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Dependent origination is not parts; it’s really more than that. Nagarjuna says, “Neither samsara nor nirvana exist, but all is a complex continuum [a matrix] with an intrinsic face of void. The object of ultimate awareness, the nature of all things, appears like a reflection; pure and naturally quiescent with a non-duality identity of suchness.” https://youtu.be/h_JyCfD7SLY

Observe what you produce on the cushion and in your life. The thought production is covering up what it is you need to see. Receive whatever is happening without your comment on it. https://youtu.be/-AxnE8iUCfQ

Observe what you produce on the cushion and in your life. The thought production is covering up what it is you need to see. Receive whatever is happening without your comment on it. https://youtu.be/6uSmD5UnaGk

This Q & A session begins with a question about the teaching, “Don’t do what you’re told.” https://youtu.be/S8JeMKB5TX4