PRAJNAPARAMITA

The Perfection of Wisdom

Mother of All Buddhas

Happy Mother’s Day!

Prajnaparamita means the (paramita) perfection of (prajna) wisdom. The manifestation of parajnaparamita is the Goddess known as the Mother Of All Buddhas. In Mahayana Buddhism, wisdom is considered the supreme paramita. The ancient and volumonous Prajnaparamita Sutra dates back to 100BCE. The Diamond Sutra was excerpted from this immense volume of writing.

There are endless variations of the manifestation of the Goddess in the human psyche and heart. She is regarded as mother, lover, protector, compassionate helper and embodied wisdom. In Christianity she can appear as Mary-Mother-of-God. In Dream psychology she is the “anima”, Latin for “soul”. As a mother her universal appeal is primal and is paramount.

Regardless of our relationships with our mothers, in our essential hearts we seek the unconditional love that the archetypal, yet sometimes spectral mother offers her child. To be a child in relationship with one’s mother is at first, experienced as a blissful state. As psychic maturity slowly begins and an awareness of autonomy arises in the child and separation begins. And yet, throughout our lives the deep desire for mother-child relationship never retreats. Perhaps this is our earliest earthly experience of dukkha. Some people spend years of their lives coming to terms with their relationship with their mother. Myriad types of psychological neurosis can be traced to the relationship with one’s mother. The foundation of an actualized, confident life can also be credited to the strong and unfailing bond nurtured by mother in childhood. Is it any wonder that we reach out to the spiritual mother with such hope and reverence?

In our sangha, Jitsudo Roshi, Zenho and I have a special connection to Green Tara. It is both reverential and practical in honoring the Divine Feminine in ourselves and in all beings and creation. Tara came into existence from a tear shed over the suffering of all beings by Avalokiteshvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out of its waters rose up a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the Goddess Tara. Like Avalokiteshvara, she is a compassionate, Mother-Goddess who helps by any means necessary. Her mantra is “Aum-tare-tutare-ture-soha”.

The practice of zazen is one way of realizing our non-separation from the unconditional, primal love we associate with mother-child. It seems as soon as we are able to allow the ego to retreat and we can slip into an open state of awareness, we realize the unconditional love effortlessly and obviously manifesting from all beings; tree-beings, bird-beings, plant-beings and human-beings. It’s always there. It’s just that frequently the experience of it is obscured by our own sense of self.

It’s important to practice. Practice is the touchstone of an awakened, compassionate life. So often life’s travails, attitudes and attributes intimidate us, infuriate us, upset us and depresses us. Yet, I believe, in our hearts we desire, more than anything, that mother-child relationship of unconditional love and acceptance for ourselves and in relationship with other beings. But sometimes it seems so far away.

Practice can help us to reimagine the connection that is always present. In the imagining of the Goddess, her energy enters through our hearts, soothes and comforts us and we begin to sense that it is possible for this compassionate wisdom to be reawakened in ourselves. How to think, how to act, how to let go of self and then imagining Tara with her outstretched leg ready to jump down and help or like Mother Goddess Prajnaparamita, with multiple arms offering endless possibilities for helping beings. It is then that we realize that we have confidence in our own wisdom and courage and in our own compassionate action to help alleviate the dukkha of all beings.

And then, we begin to see buddhas everywhere.

~issan

SCHEDULE  May 14-20 

MONDAY, 6:30AM, ZAZEN AT TEA HOUSE, DAVID KEKANSAN OPENING

MONDAY, 7PM, DREAM KOAN AT THE TEA HOUSE

TUESDAY, 6:30AM, ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE

WEDNESDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE OR ZOOM WITH ZENHO 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89605039197?pwd=VTVubW5pUnBCNFBqQjBieERvNDd5QT09

THURSDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE, DOKUSAN WITH ISSAN SENSEI

FRIDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN & SERVICE WITH ZENHO AT THE TEAHOUSE  DOKUSAN WITH ZENHO SENSEI

Here’s Noah’s poem:

It is quiet this Sunday evening

And I’ve been expressing 

Myself 

With my breath

And my walks

And then I sit at my desk

with mint tea

And wonder what will I do next

Which has become somewhat a koan for me

What do I do what do I do 

Bringing me back to me 

Wondering if that is enough

Or if I should write some more or if I should just choose a book to read already 

Or will it just unfold 

Itself 

Amidst the what do I do what do I do 

Sitting at my desk sitting on my cushion eating breakfast

Eating lunch

Cooking dinner

Walking in the Spring 

Deep peace & great love,

Issan & Zenho