Cutting through

“Just as long as I’m in this world, I am the light of this world.”

_{~Rev. Gary Davis}

A number of years ago Zenho Sensei started giving me books of the root tantras. My experience with books that Zenho Sensei had given me in the past was that they were enthralling, eye-opening, fascinating and sometimes just plain mind-blowing. From him I had received a breadth of books from authors as diverse as Carlo Rovelli to Keith Dowman, from quantum physics to Dzogchen, and everything in between. So indeed I read them and I am fascinated and mind-blown!

The ancient root tantras hold for me an appreciation of their ability to cut through and deconstruct belief systems that seem to grow like moss-on-a-tree in our thinking as time begins to hang from our practice. These root tantras strip away our erroneous thinking about intellectualized practice.

One that speaks to me in particular is called The All-Creating Monarch, Mind of Perfect Purity, The Consummation of All. It is frequently referred to by Rabjam Longchempa in his brilliant writings. In this particular tantra the structure of Buddhism is not only questioned but deconstructed, and eventually rejected. It states that there is no spiritual goal to achieve, no practice to perform (no path), and no disciple and no Buddha. The entirety of the Buddhist doctrine and practice system is pushed aside. It says all that exists does so based on pristine awareness, Rigpa, as the ground of being.

“The true nature of phenomena that transcends everything is awakened mind. Awakened mind is the very heart of all phenomena. Awakened mind is the very source of all phenomena. Being the very source, it also subsumes all that has ultimate meaning.”

” The heart essence of everything-this awakened mind, timelessly and spontaneously present by its nature need not be sought or achieved through the other (ten) attributes”.

When all the religious beliefs, the self-centered delusions of specialness, the veil of self-identity, the techniques, hopes and efforts are exhausted, in short, when the bullshit is finally cut through what I have learned is that it is not gods or saints, Jesus or buddha, deities or gurus, practices, mantras, offerings… but suchness. I am as I am. Thusness of being.

Please see it is you!  The Rev. Gary Davis said it and I believe it’s true…You are the light of this (and every) world. There is no other god than you, no buddha but you, no guru but you, no light, no wisdom, no awakening but you, no enlightenment other than you. You are the very source of the emanation of light itself. This is and always has been the message, anywhere you look. 

In Zen the most austere expression of pure awakened mind is the Heart Sutra. All of the tantras, sutras, enlightened teachings, awakened philosophies can be distilled into this one sutra, and within this one sutra this one line; “No path, no wisdom and no gain.” Pure tantric enlightened wisdom.

You cannot awaken your mind, but your mind can awaken you. So stop trying. The natural repose of mind is awakened, without effort. It is self-arising, vast, inexpressible, and spacious. Simply the awareness of this is the natural state of enlightenment.

Abandon all ambition and rest in effortlessness. Abandon all meditative reference points and realize non-duality. Fully immersed in the now, abide the heart-mind in present awareness and experience the clarity  of your own nature manifesting. What else is there?

Into clear light all causes and conditions, separation and grasping are surrendered and all phenomena disperses into the buddhafield, the ground of being. Ever present, beginningless and beyond comprehension.

Additionally, do not strive for mindfulness in anything. The essence of awakened awareness is spontaneity. Forget about the present moment! By the time you think you realize it it’s long gone. Just be, as you are, whenever you are.

I offer my deepest and most profound encouragement to you to find the confidence in yourself to realize the great awakened being you already are.

You, yes, you.

Deep Peace & Great Love, Issan (author) and Zenho

Noah’s Poem:

There is a blessing

Beneath each decision 

There is an eternally blooming

Love letter 

To you 

SCHEDULE Nov. 5 – 11

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

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

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

ZAZENKAI AND COUNCIL DEC. 1-3