It's only when we stop turning practice into a method to "solve" our life, or get some "badge" testifying to our enlightenment, and make the radical gesture of sitting down squarely with our own pain, that our practice becomes our own.

— Wake Up: How to Practice Zen Buddhism by Bonnie Myotai Treace

Endlessly Mysterious

"A student asked master Sozan, "The teachings say that everyone who falls down on the ground must stand up again by relying on the ground. What is the meaning of to fall down?"

Sozan said, "If you affirm the situation, that is the answer."

The student said, "What is the meaning of standing up?"

Sozan said, "Just stand up!"

"What is it to fall down?

We think hitting the ground, knocking over the barrier is a mistake, but the ground we hit, the failure we experience is not a mistake. The world is endlessly mysterious, experience is profound to a degree that will always surprise us. But it is never a mistake. To foster even a meager appreciation of that (and when we're in the midst of a fall, meager is pretty big) is to begin to practice, to raise the bodhi-mind. It is the decision to stop complaining and to start paying attention. Contained in the fall is exactly what we need to stand. Everything we need is available, but we have to invite it."

- Bonnie Myotai Treace Sensei

"The koan says: Master Gettan asked a monk, 'Keichu made a hundred carts. If he took off both wheels and removed the axle, what would be vividly apparent?' Keichu was regarded in ancient Chinese mythology as the inventor, the 'Adam,' of carts. When Keichu is mentioned, we know we’re in the realm of primal being, of the original vehicle, the original construction. Keichu’s presence is a cue to pay attention not just to the story, but the state of consciousness involved. This original cart; he made a hundred of them. Take away the pieces, take away the parts, and what is it that’s vividly apparent?

The axle and the wheels are meant to represent all the stuff, all the bits. If we say that what’s apparent when the parts are removed is nothing, that doesn’t really reach it. Nothing is an idea. Show me nothing. The moment you show it, say it, make it, you have turned it into something.

'A pile of mechanical bits: wheels, spokes, axles'—we might say that is what is made apparent. Still, where do you find yourself in the koan? This koan could be rephrased as 'God made the original person, made a hundred of them, made ten million of them; take away the eyes, the ears, the noses, the shoulders, the fingers, the feet, the guts, the skin—now what is clearly revealed? What is vividly apparent?' Who are you?

We grow old, go blind, lose our hearing, can no longer have sex. You’ve been beautiful, and suddenly you get a skin disease. You’ve been married, now you’re a widow. Some way of defining yourself changes radically. Who are you? All the parts and pieces are taken away—all the roles and identities. What’s revealed?"

- Bonnie Myotai Treace, from "The Sword Disappears in the Water"

No matter how far out on the sea of suffering we've sailed, all that is required is to turn toward awakening... It's never too late, but it takes that turning, and no one can do that for us...

Bonnie Myotai Treace

Rage — whether in reaction to social injustice, or to our leaders’ insanity, or to those who threaten or harm us — is a powerful energy that, with diligent practice, can be transformed into fierce compassion.

Bonnie Myotai Treace

Trust in Awakening Too often we get hung up on the exhortation “Do not squander your life” and interpret it as a scolding, as if we were naughty children caught wasting time. I see the teaching “Be responsible” more as an expression of absolute trust in the possibility of awakening. The message is “Hey, you! You can do it. You can respond. You’re capable of the perfect living and dying of this moment.” — Bonnie Myotai Treace, "Rising to the Challenge: Filling the Well with Snow" (at Chuang Yen Monastery) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRT0nwhMDKx/?utm_medium=tumblr

hey ryile! hope you're doing ok, i saw you read a lot of books about Buddhism and learning about Buddha's philosophy. so can you suggest some books/resources related to Buddhism and Buddha's teachings? i hope you'll answer to my question. thank you. sending you lots of love.

hey sweets! i am indeed doing okay these days and i’m so happy that you’re asking about buddhism and want to learn about it!! it has honestly helped me so much and the journey, so far, has been rewarding and i’m learning new things about it everyday. the beauty about it is that you can either perceive it as a religion, a way of life, or a philosophy and i personally see it more as a philosophy that i can apply to my life!! after trying to remember all the ones i’ve read, i believe i’ve managed to get them all and i’ll make a list for you right now! 

the books that i’ve read and highly recommend are: the power of now by eckhart tolle (this was the first one i ever read and i suggest starting with this one bcs it’s not really buddhism-based and it’s more generalized, but it was what led me to buddhism bcs i was so fascinated by the ideas in the book), the art of living by thich nhat hanh, wake up: how to practice zen buddhism by bonnie myotai treace, no-nonsense buddhism for beginners: clear answers to burning questions about buddhism by noah rasheta (this one was so good and answered so many of my questions in a simple way), and what the buddha taught: revised and expanded edition with texts from suttas and dhammapada by walpole rahula and paul demiéville (this one has all the texts that the buddha wrote and i highly recommend it if you wanna know where the buddhism principles and ideas come from). 

i hope this was quite helpful to you, my dear! and i hope that you do end up reading these books bcs they’ve honestly opened my eyes to so many new ideas and philosophies and i’m so grateful for them. i definitely do suggest starting with the power of now!! it’s such a phenomenal book that talks about living in the present and how to do that and it really helped me a lot! i hope you have a wonderful day, dear anon!! ✨

What is it to fall down?

A student asked master Sozan, "The teachings say that everyone who falls down on the ground must stand up again by relying on the ground. What is the meaning of to fall down?" Sozan said, "If you affirm the situation, that is the answer." The student said, "What is the meaning of standing up?" Sozan said, "Just stand up!" "What is it to fall down? We think hitting the ground, knocking over the barrier is a mistake, but the ground we hit, the failure we experience is not a mistake. The world is endlessly mysterious, experience is profound to a degree that will always surprise us. But it is never a mistake. To foster even a meager appreciation of that (and when we're in the midst of a fall, meager is pretty big) is to begin to practice, to raise the bodhi-mind. It is the decision to stop complaining and to start paying attention. Contained in the fall is exactly what we need to stand. Everything we need is available, but we have to invite it."

~ Bonnie Myotai Treace Sensei

(with thanks to aliveonallchannels)

The real treasure begins in the breaking. The body breaks, things change, life ends. Only when impermanence is fully apprehended do we really have the chance to serve, to give without bargaining.

Bonnie Myotai Treace

The path must be taken and it doesn't lead somewhere else.

— Wake Up: How to Practice Zen Buddhism by Bonnie Myotai Treace

"Rage — whether in reaction to social injustice, or to our leaders’ insanity, or to those who threaten or harm us — is a powerful energy that, with diligent practice, can be transformed into fierce compassion." -Bonnie Myotai Treace #rufskin #ruflife #menswear #athleticwear #sportswear #tights #leggings #run #energy #wanderlust #California #desert #quote #love #lovelast (at Bombay Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn4k0yIhC81/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jx45mhktohtk

Rage — whether in reaction to social injustice, or to our leaders’ insanity, or to those who threaten or harm us — is a powerful energy that, with diligent practice, can be transformed into fierce compassion.

Bonnie Myotai Treace

The body breaks, things change, life ends.... Only when impermanence is fully apprehended do we really have the chance to serve, to give without bargaining...

Bonnie Myotai Treace

(PDF) Read Online A Year of Zen A 52-Week Guided Journal Forman EPUB  PDF

(PDF) Read Online A Year of Zen: A 52-Week Guided Journal Forman EPUB / PDF

A Year of Zen: A 52-Week Guided Journal

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