Everything is the Mind
Master Dogen said: "The mountains and valleys are the true spirit".
It is this same spirit that manifested itself billions of years ago in the form of the Big Bang. It is this same spirit that has been unfolding ever since. Each existence…
Respect all forms of life
At Eiheiji, the monastery founded by Master Dogen, flows a river that descends from the mountain. It is said that Master Dogen, when he took water from the river with his ladle, used the quantity he needed and returned to the river what was…
“Religion of Awakening”
Many people wonder what Buddhism is.
Buddhism is a word invented by Westerners. It's something very abstract. We should rather speak of the Way of the Buddha - Buddha meaning the awakened one, that which is awakened. One could also say, to…
All waters return to the great ocean
"All the waters return to the great ocean" : this sentence reflects an absolute truth.
Rain, streams, rivers, all waters, whatever their flavours, whatever their tastes, return to the great ocean whose taste is one, unique. All the rivers…
Returning to the source
Kusen of Taiun JP Faure, Kanshoji, July 2012
Returning to the origin, returning to the source of what we are.
Recovering the awareness that we are a form of the universe, a fully living form, without relying on our personal power, without…
Yearning for the absolute
Kusen from Taiun JP Faure, Kanshoji, June 2nd, 2018
We secrete thoughts. With those thoughts, we build theories, we adopt beliefs, we cling to superstitions. We have preferences: we like this, we don't like that. Our life unfolds in this…
What do we do in zazen?
Kusen from Taiun JP Faure - April 2018
The sun shines without ego, the rain falls without ego, the universe turns without ego. The human being, when he lives without ego, is called Buddha.
Sitting motionless, breathing coming and going…
The living human being
Kusen from Taiun JP Faure - Saturday, March 31st, 2018
The Zen masters put in first place the totally living human being, rather than the thinking human being.
Master Dôgen writes: "He who has faith in the Buddha Way is convinced that…
The impressive and sustained practice of the Buddhas
Kusen from Taiun JP Faure - March 2018
When we go up to the room of clouds [the dojo], it's important to know what we will be doing there.
We go there to sit, shikantaza, just sit. Every time we feel like doing something else, we have…
Our vocation as human beings is to be true human beings
Master Kodo Sawaki says: "Our vocation as human beings is to be true human beings. This means that a human being's vocation is to be Buddha, and not a terribly mean little mushroom."
What Kodo Sawaki means is that human beings' vocation is…
