Program
10 am - 11:30 am
1. Moving meditation
2. Reciting the Buddha's name (Chanting)
3. Sitting meditation
4. Hymn "Song of Dharmakaya Buddha"
5. Dharma talk & Conversation
6. Essential Dharmas of Daily Practice
The Method of Reciting the Buddha’s Name
1. When reciting the Buddha’s name, maintain an erect posture and settle your energy, and don’t swing or shake the body.
2. Don’t make your voice either too loud or too soft, but keep it at a level appropriate to your energy.
3. Concentrate your spirit only on the one sound of the recitation of the Buddha’s name, watching over the one thought in conjunction with the recitation phrase so that the one thought and the voice will continue on together.
4. When reciting the Buddha’s name, let go of each and every thought, and maintain a relaxed mentality and an effortless state of mind. Do not entertain other thoughts, such as seeking the Buddha outside, or imagining the physical characteristics of Amitābha or the splendors of the land of Ultimate Bliss.
5. To get hold of the mind, it may be helpful to count with meditation beads or to keep a rhythm by striking a wooden clacker or drum.
6. If the mind is troubled by various distracting thoughts whenever you are working on a certain matter or in various postures such as walking, standing, sitting, or reclining, it may be helpful to counteract those distracting thoughts by reciting the Buddha’s name. However, when, to the contrary, the recitation does not become one with the spirit of what you are doing, it is better to stop.
7. Reciting the Buddha’s name constantly reflects on the original state of one’s mind nature. When you are faced with vexations or when greed arises, settle yourself by reciting the Buddha’s name. When you are drawn by favorable sensory conditions or repelled by adverse sensory conditions, settle yourself by reciting the Buddha’s name. For persons who know the truth of reciting the Buddha’s name, the one sound of the recitation will enable them to conquer myriad perverse demons; and although reciting the phrase with their lips but without a suitable measure of one-pointedness will have very little effect, they will realize samādhi if they have a suitable measure of one-pointedness even while reciting the Buddha’s name silently.
Method of Sitting meditation
1. After spreading out a sitting mat and seating oneself comfortably in a cross-legged position, align the head and spine in an upright posture.
2. Gently bring your focus down to the Danjeon and, without dwelling on even one thought, become aware only of the energy that is gathered at the Danjeon. If the mind becomes distracted, the energy diffuses. Refocus and bring your attention back to the Danjeon. Do not neglect, then and there, to pull yourself together and bring the energy to rest.
3. Keep your breathing smooth and even, making inhalation a little longer and stronger and exhalation a little shorter and softer.
4. It is essential to always keep the eyes open to prevent drowsiness. You may try meditating with eyes closed when the energy of the spirit is refreshed and there is no risk of drowsiness.
5. Always keep the mouth closed. When the water energy ascends and the fire energy descends after lengthy practice, clear and smooth saliva will flow continuously from the salivary glands, which you may gather in the mouth and swallow occasionally.
6. The spirit should be ever alert in its calmness and ever calm in its alertness. If the spirit becomes dim, collect the mind to refresh the spirit; if it lapses into wandering thoughts, restore it with right mindfulnes. Rest in the realm of your original nature, which is effortless and spontaneous in its natural state.
7. Beginners in sitting meditation may suffer from aching legs or the intrusion of idle and wandering thoughts. If your legs ache, you may occasionally switch their positions. If you are troubled by wandering thoughts, merely recognize them as wandering thoughts and they will vanish by themselves. You absolutely must not be vexed or discouraged by their presence.
8. When first beginning sitting meditation, you may find your face and body feeling itchy, as if there were ants crawling over you. This sensation is evidence of the blood flowing more actively through the capillaries. Be sure not to touch or scratch.
9. During sitting meditation, you absolutely must not seek bizarre states and mysterious signs. Even if such sensory experiences occur, regard them as anomalies. Pay them no attention; look past them without concern.
If you continue practicing in the above manner for a long period of time, you will ultimately forget the distinction between yourself and other things. You will forget time and place and, resting in the genuine realm of stillness and non-duality, you will rejoice in unparalleled spiritual bliss.
Essential Dharmas of Daily Practice
1. The mind ground is originally free from disturbance, but disturbances arise in response to sensory conditions; let us give rise to the absorption (samādhi) of the self-nature by letting go of those disturbances.
2. The mind ground is originally free from delusion, but delusions arise in response to sensory conditions; let us give rise to the wisdom (prajñā) of the self-nature by letting go of those delusions.
3. The mind ground is originally free from wrong-doing, but wrong-doings arise in response to sensory conditions; let us give rise to the precepts (śīla) of the self-nature by letting go of those wrong-doings.
4. Let us remove unbelief, greed, laziness, and foolishness by means of belief, zeal, questioning, and dedication.
5. Let us turn a life of resentment into a life of gratitude.
6. Let us turn a life of dependency into a life of self- reliance.
7. Let us turn a reluctance to learn into a readiness to learn well.
8. Let us turn a reluctance to teach into a readiness to teach well.
9. Let us turn a lack of public spirit into an eagerness for the public’s welfare.
