#guo gu

[commonplacebuddhism]

In the midst of our practice, let us not attach to our actions or use the Dharma like a measuring stick to judge others. Buddha-nature — the nature of fluidity, openness, and clarity — is everyone's true nature, whether one is a criminal or a sage.

— The Essence of Chan: A Guide to Life and Practice according to the Teachings of Bodhidharma by Guo Gu

[mountain-sage]

The stillness of the mind is the silence; its clarity and openness are the illumination.

Guo Gu

[badbuddhism]

For most of us, attachment to our thoughts and feelings—our inner monologues—defines who we are. They are all that we’ve ever known about ourselves. We’re completely entwined with them, and we find it difficult to understand that we are more than just our narratives, likes and dislikes—that we are originally free.

- Guo Gu

[zenmister]

Meditation Month 2021: Silent Illumination

Meditation Month is back! Join us for our annual challenge to commit to a daily meditation practice throughout the month of March.

The first of 4 great meditation lessons from Chan Master Guo Gu and Ticiycle.org

[mountain-sage]

Thoughts and passing emotions liberate themselves, moment after moment after moment. We don’t have to do anything to make them disappear. They liberate themselves if we let go of what we’re grasping.

Guo Gu

[mountain-sage]

The spaciousness or emptiness of the room is the “silence” in silent illumination. The ability of the room to accommodate all sorts of furniture is the “illumination” of silent illumination.

Our true mind has no delineating borders, and it has infinite potential; we have the ability to respond to the needs of all beings creatively, immeasurably. Just as space is not the result of our moving the furniture around the room, awakening is not something that we gain from our efforts in “practice.”

If awakening were gained from practice, then it would be just an additional piece of furniture!

Guo Gu

[mountain-sage]

At this subtle level, while we’re meditating, we might hear the sound of an automobile going by, but its passing doesn’t leave any trace on our minds. In each moment, we perceive with freshness, and when the object disappears, our perception vanishes with it. We continue with our meditation.

If we persist in the practice, all of our fragmented and scattered thoughts are reduced to a single point—the present moment—and going further, even our last bit of attachment to the present may suddenly vanish. When this happens, self-grasping disappears, leaving us with just experiencing—without self.

Guo Gu

[badbuddhism]

Tension is one of the most common blockages to practice and mindfulness that we encounter. Whether it appears as anxiety, frustration, anger, expectation or sadness, most of us carry around a lot of tension. Perhaps we find moments of peace and relaxation (and therefore concentration and open mindedness) when we meditate - for some of us maybe not even then! When the body and mind are tense, it is much harder to practice in all areas - patience, mindfulness, kindness - all of the practices and perfections become harder when we are not relaxed.

Master Guo Gu recommends progressive bodily relaxation, as well as grounding oneself in the body. If we are exceedingly anxious, we can use breath counting or meditate on sound as a way to bring down the heart rate and refocus the mind in the here and now.

When the body and mind are relaxed, they can focus, open and also let go of arisings. The mind can become like a gentle clear brook, rather than a raging river which sweeps up everything in its path.