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Autumn 2003
Volume 23, Number 4
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 Tending the Ox
"When I tell people to relax there is always somebody who overdoes it and at once begins to feel drowsy.
On the other hand, when I tell people not to be lazy, there is always someone who tenses up his body and mind
until he begins to wonder why he feels stressed. It is vital, therefore, to find a point of balance between
relaxation and alertness...it is like catching a feather on a fan..."
--Chan Master Sheng Yen
from Illuminating Silence.
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Chan Magazine is published quarterly by the Institute of
Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture, Chan
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11373. The Magazine is a non-profit
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Chan Meditation Center
Founder/Teacher: Shifu (Master) Ven. Dr. Shengyen
Editor-in-Chief: David Berman
Coordinator: Virginia Tan
News Editor: Belia Pena
Photography: David Kabacinski
Contributing Editors: Ernie Heau, Chris Marano, Virginia Tan,
Wei Tan
Contributors: Rikki Asher, Berle Driscoll, Jeffrey Kung, Rebecca Li,
Charlotte Mansfield, Mike Morical, Bruce Rickenbacker, Wei Tan, Tan Yee Wong (Chang
Ji)
Administrator: Guo Chen Shi
From the Editor
From the Associated Press, via The New York Times, August 8th: "Clergy in Asia and Africa Condemn Election of Gay
Bishop."
In case anyone missed it, the U.S. Episcopalian Church had just, over the strong objections of a conservative minority, confirmed the appointment of its first openly gay bishop.
"Practicing homosexuality is culturally and legally not acceptable
here," said Bishop Dr. Lim Cheng Ean, leader of the Anglican Church of West Malaysia.
"They violate the explicit scripture" said the Very Rev. Peter Karanja of Nairobi, Kenya.
"We cannot comprehend the decision to elect as bishop a man who has forsaken his
wife, in order to live in a sexual relationship with another man" agreed the Rev. Dr. Mouneer Anis, bishop of the diocese of Egypt, North Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.
I don't mean to beat up on the Episcopalians; we had a little one of these ourselves not too long ago. Chan Master Sheng Yen got into some trouble with certain members of his congregation when he answered a question about the precepts by saying that yes, according to Buddhism, homosexual acts would indeed be considered sexual misconduct. Not a controversial thing to say in the part of the world from which he and Bishop Dr. Lim come, but it proved to be quite controversial in New York.
To his credit (in my opinion), Master Sheng Yen responded to the controversy that ensued by making it clear that he had in no way meant to condemn homosexuals, that precepts are not commandments but practices that we take up voluntarily, that our understanding of what constitutes proper behavior must always stand in relation to the cultural norms in our environment, that good and evil in Buddhism is not absolute but is related to alleviating and causing suffering, and that he regretted having caused any. He has further called on all religious leaders to re-examine and re-interpret any passages in their own scriptures that are being used to justify violence against or to demonize those who are different.
But the conflict at the heart of the controversy is not easily resolved. How do Episcopalian homosexuals integrate their sexual preference into their reading of the Bible? How do we Buddhists integrate
any sexual preference into the practice of a religion that rejects the very idea of preference, of the very self that has preferences, of any action founded on desire? And if found to be in irrevocable conflict, should we call into question the personal preference or the ancient wisdom, wisdom that comes to us from societies that accepted racism, sexism, and demonization of the
"other" as the norm?
This issue of Chan Magazine features a recent address by Chan Master Sheng Yen on the subject of terrorism and its relation to religious fanaticism, which points out the extent to which our world has become a multicultural, pluralistic one. He recognizes that all religious people consider their faiths to be the source of fundamental truth, but that all religious documents are in fact culturally specific, and all subject to interpretation by fallible human beings. He calls for tolerance, for adaptation to the inevitability of cultural
globalization...he calls, finally, for compassion and wisdom.
Shifu's talk was addressed to the pressing problem of terrorism, but I find it equally relevant to the Episcopal controversy. After all, what could better represent the globalization of culture than the
Anglican Church of West Malaysia? My answer: an Anglican Church of West Malaysia that could accept a gay bishop from New Hampshire.
Postscript
Those of you with keen eyes for design will no doubt notice that Chan Magazine looks a
little different yet again. This time the changes, and the unfortunate tardiness, are the result of a computer crash, a new operating system, new layout software...all exacerbated by the limited skills of the editor. We hope the
resulting mutations of form are not too disturbing to the usefulness of the content.
Adding considerably to that content is Belia Pena, who has graciously taken on the
responsibility of editing the magazine's news section, The Past. Thanks, Belia -
you couldn't have come at a better time.
Corrections
On page 27 of the Summer 2003 issue, in the article "Long Island Multi-Faith Forum", one of the participating religious groups is
incorrectly listed as "Bai'Allas." The correct spelling is "Baha'i". We apologize.
Fear and Peace
The following lecture was given by Chan Master Sheng Yen on May 4th,
2003, the day of the Buddha's birthday celebration, at the Chan Meditation
Center in Elmhurst, New York. It was translated live by
Rebecca Li.
Venerable Old Master Jen Chun, dear venerable masters, and ladies and
gentlemen, today I'd like to talk about a topic that is very relevant to our
environment today, fear and peace. One can see that this topic is about how one
can obtain peace in the midst of fear.
This seat that I'm sitting in right here seems to be very peaceful and safe. In fact,
it's very dangerous.
So what is peace? From the perspective of Buddhadharma, when the mind is at peace, there is peace. As long as the mind is not at peace and is unstable, then there is no peace.
For us ordinary people, we tend to think that the source of danger in our lives is the environment that we live in. When will
crisis in our lives occur? We don't know; it's unpredictable. When will a certain situation occur? We don't know; we have no idea. For instance,
what's been happening in the world recently - the epidemic of SARS has been
affecting Hong Kong, Singapore, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai, and for the last few days, Taiwan as well. So a lot of people are wondering,
"When am I gonna hit the lotto?" Of course, if you really hit the lotto, that's a good thing, but if you get infected by SARS, that's not good at all.
However, if you look at the fatality rate from SARS, the number of people who have died, in total, is about three hundred. This number includes everyone in Hong Kong, in China, actually all over Asia, since December last year, and now it's May, so that's in about five months. However, despite the relatively low fatality rate, most people are very, very afraid, all over the world.
This is because of the ignorance of human beings. Because the environment that we live in, originally, before SARS, is not secure, it's filled with danger. We fear SARS because we don't have this understanding that the
environment is always filled with danger.
Actually, a very long time ago, Shakyamuni Buddha had already told us that this world is very dangerous and very fragile, that human life is impermanent, that the very existence of life hangs on the continuation of breath
going in and out. Human life only hangs on this breath. It only takes the breath to stop, and human life ceases to exist. This is how fragile and impermanent human life is. This world that we live in is filled with such danger, very fragile. One need only look at the natural
disasters that occur all the time, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and plagues
... as well as wars. These are among the sources of danger in the world.
We hear about these instances all the time; we think it's normal because we're so used to it. When I was young, I heard that the
number of people who die from car accidents was very high. Because of that, among us Chinese people, we refer to automobiles on the road as tigers roaming in the street. It only takes a malfunction for a car accident to occur, or a drunk driver, or a driver falling asleep
... or it can be a pedestrian that is responsible. A
pedestrian could be having wandering thoughts, not paying attention to what's going on, or be irritated, and have an unstable mind and not even see the car coming. Because of all these dangers on the road people would say,
"The world is so dangerous, so we should just avoid getting on to the road at all." However, nowadays, even though there are so many more car accidents than there used to be, we are used to it, we hear about it all the time, we think that it's normal, and we don't see it as very dangerous anymore. It doesn't keep us from driving around in cars or walking around on the streets, not at all. It happens so often we don't think about it.
It is the same with the entire world that we live in. It originally is filled with danger all the time. But because we see it all the time, we don't think about it
- we are not aware of the dangers anymore.
Just ten years ago we had this rapidly spreading epidemic, AIDS. In the last ten years, about 20 million people have died from this disease, and in the next 10 years it is forecasted that double that number will die. We don't think about it anymore. In the beginning, when we first heard about this disease, everyone was very afraid, very worried. When people were dating they were very worried about it. People were worried about going to use the bathroom, about using towels, or chopsticks or bowls in public places. Now, we don't think about it anymore; we are used to it.
If you look at the statistics on death rates, the number is highest among those who get
cancer; cancer patients have among the highest death rates right now.
 So this is illness. Shakyamuni Buddha told us a long time ago that human life inevitably has
to go through this process from birth towards death. Once we are born, it is inevitable that we will die. When will we die? How will we die? We don't know. We have no idea. In fact, we now know that genetically we may be born
carrying all sorts of illnesses already. It may not be from our parents, it may come from various conditions and factors, but the fact is that from the moment of birth we are already carrying the causes of illness and death. This process, from birth to old age to illness and death, is the undeniable inevitable fact of life. This is what we should understand.
It is actually quite strange that we have this very big industry, the insurance industry. You may have heard that there is a very big life insurance industry. So one day, at the
monastery, a salesperson from an insurance company came and visited us, and introduced me to life
insurance and told me that I should purchase a life insurance policy. I asked this person,
"So this is going to insure me against death?" "No, no, no, that's not the case at all. It's going to insure that after you die, the people who survive you are not going to have trouble." So I said,
"Oh, so this insurance is to ensure my death, not to insure me against death."
This is death. Everybody is afraid of death. Why are we afraid of death? We don't know, we are just afraid of death. This fear comes from a sense of insecurity, because we don't know what's going to happen. That's why we are afraid. So whenever we encounter a
dangerous situation, whenever there's danger, we become very afraid. When we encounter uncertainty, when we have no idea what's going to happen, then we are also afraid. For some people, when they give a talk in front of a very large group for the first time, they will start to tremble, very afraid. Why are these people afraid? Probably because they are worried that they will make a mistake, then maybe the audience will do something to them.
It's like Guo Gu here. There was one time I brought him here for a speech, for a lecture at Harvard University. When we got there, he saw that all the Harvard University
professors were staring at him, and he was very afraid, he was trembling after seeing that. For me, I was just speaking Chinese, and they didn't know what I was talking about, so I was fearless, I wasn't afraid at all. But Guo Gu, who was there to
translate my speech into English, was really worried, he was trembling the whole time. I asked him,
"Why are you trembling?" He said, "Well, they're staring at me." And I said,
"Well, of course, you are here to translate my talk into English, of course they will be
looking at you."
Sorry, Guo Gu.
This world is filled with danger. This world is filled with danger and is very unstable. There is not a place, there is not a time in this world that there is total security, when it is not
dangerous and unstable. It is important to have this understanding that there is no place and no time in this world that is secure. We have to keep this in mind at all times and in all places, knowing that anytime, anywhere we are, we can encounter life-threatening
danger. That's what we need to keep in mind.
In fact, that's what Shakyamuni Buddha taught us, that this world we live in is like a house on
fire. If we are in a house on fire, how can there be any place that is secure, that is safe? Therefore, what do we do in this house of fire? Well, we practice. We practice to cultivate compassion and wisdom. When we are able to cultivate compassion and wisdom, then we will feel more secure. Does it mean that this house of fire will not injure us, that we will not get burned? That's not the case at all. In fact, we're very likely to be burned and injured by the fire in this house
- more than likely - it's certain. However, if you are able to cultivate wisdom in your mind and compassion in your heart, then you will be able to feel secure, even in this dangerous environment.
As you all know, we are here to memorialize the birthday of Shaykamuni Buddha. That's why we have this ceremony of bathing the Buddha. How did Shakyamuni attain
Buddhahood? Well, I'm not going to talk about how he cultivated the Path towards
Buddhahood in all his previous lifetimes. I'm going to focus on his last lifetime, on his cultivation during his life as Shakyamuni.
 When
he was a prince, one day he left the palace and wandered around in the city.
While he was wandering around, he saw a very pitiable old person, an old man. He
also saw a sick person, a very pitiable sick person. Apparently nobody was
taking care him. He also saw a dead person, and saw the family of this dead
person very sad, grieving over the death. Upon seeing these phenomena,
Shakyamuni Buddha did not think of himself, but tried to figure out what the
source of the suffering was. He saw that sentient beings' suffering comes from
this process of life, the cycle of sickness, old age, and death. He wanted to
look for a way to help sentient beings to eliminate their suffering in this
process, and to finally depart from this cycle of birth and death. That is to
say, he was trying to find a way to help sentient beings be liberated from the
suffering of life. Because of this, he gave rise to the mind of compassion, and
he left the life of the palace and entered the monastic life. His cultivation
resulted in his realization.
Sentient beings are very ignorant. After Shakyamuni's death, when his body
actually was burned to ashes by the fire in this house, (some people said that he had actually burned his own body using the fire of his Samadhi
- whether that's the case or not, his body was burned to ashes, his body was gone) the number of people actually applying Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching were very few. If we were able to use the Buddha's teachings, then we might give rise to wisdom and compassion, and that would help us deal with the dangers of the world and be less fearful and feel more secure.
When I was a teenager, and first heard this story of Shakyamuni Buddha, it made a deep impression on me. Whenever I would see old people, I would give rise to pity in my heart, thinking,
"Oh, this old person is so pitiable, this person is going to die soon." Whenever I would see people with white hair, I would think those thoughts. The strange thing is that these old people didn't seem to be unhappy at all. In fact, often they were still quite happy, as if they were unaware of their approaching deaths. So one day, I saw and old person, and again I felt the same thing,
"This person is so old, so pitiable, nearing death," and I said this to my master, and my master scolded me saying,
"Nonsense. It is not old people who die. The people who die, die because it is the time for them to die." What this means is that it is not only old people who die. Babies can die, children can die, young people can die. People die when it is their time to die.
From then on, I was prepared for death anytime, because I knew that death could happen anytime. Of course I would not commit
suicide, but I understood that death can happen any time. Because of that, I made sure that I made good use of my life all the time. I made sure that I made good use of this body all the time. That is to say, I want to make sure that I do the things that I need to do with this body, with the time that I have before my death. Because there is no way for me to know when death is going to fall upon me. It can happen any time
- one could get hit by a car, or be walking on the sidewalk, and a brick could fall and hit your head. Or you could walk
under a tree, and there could be a rotten branch that could fall on you ... the strangest case that I have seen was a person who was
washing his face and he drowned in the sink.
It is clear that death can fall upon us anytime, that any time, any place, we could die. Therefore, it is important that we have an alert mind, that we are aware of this fact, and that we have a clear understanding that death is around us at all times, in all places. Because of this understanding in my mind, I really cherish my life. I make sure that
whatever I should do, and whatever I can do, I do it. Whatever people I can make a connection with, I would like to meet and connect with them. There are people who ask me,
"Shifu, you are so old, why do you busy yourself, running all over the world all the time?" I say to these people,
"Well, I'm trying to make good use of this piece of garbage." It's true. This body is so old, and there's not much else in it, so it's really a piece of garbage, but I still want to do my best to make good use of it. By doing what I can and should do, and
meeting the people I can. And so here, my teacher here, who's ten years older than myself, who's an even older piece of garbage, he's still
making good use of himself!
Instead of us saying "making good use of garbage", we can also look at it as
"recycling good resources," until we can't use them anymore.
Death can happen anytime, anyplace, so one needs to have this understanding. However, one should not be thinking,
"I should be dead pretty soon, so what's the point of trying to carry on living?" For myself, if it's not my time to die, why should I give up? Why should I give up living? Indeed, it is not fun being old. Old age is indeed suffering, and I can tell you that. However, if I think of this
as making good use of garbage, trying to do one's best, carrying on in one's old age, that's pretty good. Maybe you can think about old age this way as well.
Finally, I would like to remind you all that in the Heart Sutra, in the one line of the Heart Sutra that you all have recited this morning, the first line of the Heart Sutra goes like this,
"When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was coursing in the deep Prajnaparamita, he perceived that all Five Skandhas are empty, thereby transcending all suffering." What this says is that when Avalokitesvara was deep in his cultivation, deep in his wisdom of Prajna, he was able to realize and understand that this life and body of ours is empty, it's not real, it's not permanent. Having
understood that this body and life of ours is empty and not real and impermanent, he was able to be liberated and transcend the suffering of life. If you remember, later in the sutra, it says that because of that
"one will depart far from confusion and imaginings." If we are able to understand that this life and body of ours is empty, is not real, and is not
permanent, we will be far away from the confusion, the upside-down views that we have in our lives. These upside-down views that we hold are the beliefs that our lives and bodies are real and permanent and we are thus unable to see and accept the truth. If we are able to see life and the body as impermanent, as empty, then we will be able to face the hardships of the world without suffering. This is the
teaching of these lines.
Now, my lecture here has come to an end, and I hope that you can remember this.
Hands Hospitalized
Between bloodlettings I turn my wrists
and see my hands angle after angle.
Nothing familiar
even in this plain-speaking light.
Did these hands hold a steering wheel?
Did they aim a fire hose at blazing windows?
Did they push a lawn mower, no engine?
Did they hold a briefcase packed with plans?
Did they shake the hand that saved them?
Did they move iron?
I see blood - dark through thin hide.
The palms are red, the fingers yellow.
One rip and these hands would spill.
They are not mine.
Mike Morical
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"Storm Drain"
Photography by Chang Wen
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Violence and Terrorism in Religion
The following is the full text of an address given by The Most Venerable
Master Sheng Yen, Litt. D. to the United Nations' conference on "The
Illegitimate Use of Religion to Incite Violence (Terrorism): Crime Against
Humanity" in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium May 21, 2003.
Organized by the World Council of Religious Leaders, the Global Ethics
Resource Center, Touro College Law School, and Fordham University Law School,
the global conference was convened at the request of Kofi Annan, Secretary
General of the United Nations (UN). According to Bawa Jain, Secretary General of
the World Council of Religious Leaders, the purpose of the conference was to
review and analyze the use of religion to incite violence within the context of
contemporary human rights and humanitarian laws and to fill the gap in
international law by pointing out the need for a resolution to include the use
of religion to incite violence (terrorism) as a crime against humanity...
The conference proposed to discuss the issue from the perspectives of both
religion and international law. Chan Master Sheng Yen was a member of the panel
of guest speakers, made up of representatives from Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Judaism and Islam, as well as experts on international law. The
audience was made up of UN staff members, diplomats, representatives from
various religions, law experts and students.
We believe that all religions of the world advocate that human beings should
live together in harmony. We should accept that all religions in the world
believe that the God they worship is the most righteous, the most loving, and
possesses the greatest capacity to give humanity the blessings of well being and
happiness.
We must ask, however, why the world has been rife with conflicts, violence and terror throughout its history, and why this has happened among the social groups with the strongest religious fervor. Even among believers of the same religion in the same ethnic group, differences of circumstance, environment, individual understanding, and emotional experience have given rise to
conflict, and people have insisted that the God according to their own knowledge, views,
experiences and beliefs was the only God, or the most peace-loving God, or the most real, most perfect or ultimate God. Thus opposition and ideological rivalry have led to violent
confrontations; thus intolerance among various forms of fundamentalism has brought about bloody conflicts.
This is neither a problem of God nor of religion. Rather this is because of human beings' ignorance, their lack of wisdom, their
inability to open their minds and to understand themselves and others. If one believes that God is omniscient, omnipotent, full of love and authority, one should also believe that God provides the most appropriate teachings and aids according to the needs of different ethnic groups at different times and in
different civilizations. These various manifestations are the result of Gods' all-encompassing love for all humans. With this understanding, one can see that the various Gods worshipped by various religions and their sects are each the one supreme, monistic God, manifested in different forms as the result of His universal love for humanity. If God can manifest in many different forms, then are not the
followers of all religions none other than the children of God? Aren't they all brothers and sisters? Is there still any need for opposition and conflict?
In the absence of this understanding suspicion, denial, opposition and struggle among religions and sects will inevitably result in endless conflicts that damage everyone's sense of security. In order to guarantee one's safety, protect one's space, preach God's love and extend God's righteousness and power, there seems no choice but to use violence to suppress those deemed as the evil enemies. They must be terrorized, destroyed,
annihilated from the face of the earth, so that no lurking dangers remain.
In reality, of course, one can never completely annihilate all those who disagree with one's thoughts and religious beliefs. The enemies are all generated from within to begin with; after one group is exterminated, another group will appear. This view, that all those with whom one disagrees are evil demons, brings about an endless cycle of retaliation. How terrible this is!
Therefore we believe that religious violence and its terrorism have their origin in human beings' insecurity. When confronted with phenomena that one does not yet know, one gives rise to suspicion and fear. Because of fear one resorts to violence, striking out
preemptively to embolden oneself and trigger terror in the enemies.
How can we solve this millennia-old problem? I suggest the following two main general
approaches:
The most swiftly effective means would be to pass a resolution under international law in the United Nations stipulating that in order to protect human beings' freedom of
pluralistic religious belief and the security of human lives, any individuals, ethnic groups or
countries who use religion to incite violence and terrorism should be tried by the international criminal court and subjected to sanctions by all of humanity. However, this is not my area of expertise, hence this should be discussed by the legal experts in this conference.
The most thoroughly effective means is:
Call upon all people of love and wisdom to employ all available means to constantly
extend, whenever it is appropriate, our friendship towards every ethnic group, region and individual who is prone to terrorism. Let them know that they are not alone or helpless and let them feel the warmth of care, respect and acceptance. When they feel a sense of
security, then they will no longer feel the need to engage in violent terrorist actions because of fear.
Call upon all people of love and wisdom to employ all available means to actively
interact with, understand, and empathize with
every ethnic group, region and individual who is prone to terrorism. Whenever it is appropriate, help them correctly
understand their own religious beliefs and let them know that if they want to receive God's love, they must emulate God's all-encompassing love for the world. Hence, no one should regard terrorists as evil demons. If everyone treats those with whom he disagrees as evil, then terrorist attacks will never be terminated. Only when we give the world our love can we resolve all forms of enmity. This is the utmost reliable action to guarantee security for all.
Call upon all people of love and wisdom to employ all available means unceasingly to introduce, when appropriate, knowledge of diverse ethnicities, cultures and religions to
every ethnic group, region and individual who is prone to terrorism. This is to help them understand that pluralism is the inevitable trend of civilization and the common
necessity of modern human society. Only when we tolerate the differences among various ethnic groups within a pluralistic global society can we exchange virtues and strengths and learn from each other. Otherwise, if people seek only to reject those who are different, or
attempt to use violence to intimidate and
conquer those who are different, they will end up targets of terror and conquest themselves.
Call upon all people of love and wisdom to employ all available means unceasingly to encourage, whenever it is appropriate,
teachers of all religions and their various sects and all intellectual and influential religious people to reexamine their sacred scriptures. If they discover points that contradict the
inclusiveness of a pluralistic global culture, they should be given a new interpretation. Human society has now transitioned from the
dominance of separate, monolithic cultures into cultural plurality and mutual interaction. Those who pay no heed, or who insist on resisting this change will either be isolated from or come into conflict with the common global community.
Call upon all people of love and wisdom to employ all available means unceasingly to make use of every appropriate opportunity to advise all religious and spiritual leaders that while they should pay attention to politics they should not harbor political ambitions. Furthermore, they should warn their
followers not to be provoked, manipulated and controlled by politicians. They should advise their country's political leaders that they can be devoted in their religious beliefs and true to the religious experiences that have flowed from spiritual cultivation, but that they should not exploit their religious
followers, arouse religious fanaticism, incite religious reprisals or declare
"holy war" against peoples who do not concur with them, or use terrorist attacks for political gains. In other words, we should help religious and political leaders to understand that in today's global world, religion and politics must function separately from one another. Otherwise, while belief in God and religion does not itself
present a problem, it is unavoidable that people with unwholesome ambitions will exploit the name of God and His followers to incite
ethnic conflicts and violence. The powerful side will resort to war; the weaker side will resort to terrorism; humanity will suffer unceasing calamities.
The above statements are my recommendations for today's topics of discussion and not a representation of Buddhist beliefs.
Buddhism does not deny the Gods worshipped by any other religions. More importantly, Buddhism is about how to use compassion in interaction with others and how to use wisdom in handling affairs. With
compassion, one will not view others as loathsome enemies. With wisdom, one will not give rise to the vexations of suspicion, hatred and fear. Buddhists should not harbor attitudes that violate these principles regardless of what scriptural justification may seem to exist.
Admonitions to Disciples
By Chan Master Zhongfeng Mingben
translated by Ocean Cloud
Zhongfeng Mingben (1262-1323) was an eminent Chan master of the Linji
lineage in the Yuan dynasty. He was one of the very few to receive transmission
from his teacher, Chan Master Gaofeng Yuanmiao (1239-1295), the protagonist of
the famous gongan, Do you have mastery of yourself when you are in a dreamless
sleep?
Ocean Cloud is a group of practitioners, students of Chan Master
Sheng Yen, who endeavor to bring the classics of Chinese Buddhism to the
English-speaking community in the spirit of dana-paramita. They are:
Chang Wen (David Kabacinsky) from New York, Guo Shan (Jeff Larko)
from Ohio, and
Guo Jue (Wei Tan) from Maryland.
There is no way for you to understand Buddhadharma! There is no way for you
to escape from birth and death! Our bodies are like candle flames in the wind
and sparks flying out from flint stones. Even if you were to practice with every
thought as if your head were aflame [1], you still would not be
able to resolve this affair thoroughly. There is no need for you to do it
impatiently, in a blind manner. Going about recklessly and confusedly, in a
blink of the eye, you would have reached the age of forty and fifty...
What do you think Buddhadharma is? Even if the smartest person in the world
were to come along and write impeccable and irrefutable commentaries on all the
scriptures [2], gongans [3] and philosophical
classics [4], he or she would still be moving about outside the
door. When these smart people speak of the Dharma, it often seems that they are
enlightened; but when they encounter [challenging] conditions in real life, they
are lost.
It has always been said that there is no way for you to understand this affair! The more you want to understand it, the more you will be in discord with it. Do not give rise to some sort of conceptual response upon hearing this, thinking that if you can enter into a state that other people cannot enter, you will find some lively things there. Alas! All you can come up with are none other than the deluded thought of "wanting to understand it".
Only those who have the profound root of faith, who are willing to genuinely
investigate themselves until true enlightenment is realized can take up this
affair. But if they hang on to the thought of "taking this up", they
still have not gotten it. That is why the ancient teaching says that: "Even
if a world full of people as wise as Sariputra were to come together and hold a
discussion, it is still impossible for them to fathom the wisdom of the
Buddha".
These days there are people who go about proclaiming what they know and advocating a particular way of practice. These people are like those who have found a piece of orange peel and mistook it as fire. They claim they know what Buddhadharma is and demand that people respect them. What good can they really gain? I have been practicing for more than thirty years and I am still not in accord with the Buddhadharma. That is why I am constantly humbled and shamed. I do not dare to accept the position of a teacher
casually. When good things are said about me and generous offerings brought to me, I see them as poisoned arrows striking my mind. I have been running away from them to no avail. There is no doubt that they are brought about by karmic relations from my past lives. They are the very source of delusion, not a result of virtue on the Path.
So many people claim to be on the Path, and yet when they encounter a little
thing that goes against their will, ignorance will take hold of them, unleashing
their habitual ways. Letting their minds run wild, unwholesome actions manifest.
They will use what they call justice [5] to harm others,
pushing others around. They do not know that since time immemorial, this
so-called justice of theirs has been binding them to ignorance. Not once through
this justice did they engender a true mind on the Path. Moreover, never do they
notice that this justice of theirs [reeks so much that] it causes people to
cover their noses instantly.
There is no way for you to escape from birth and death! This great affair of
birth and death belongs to you yourself; it sticks to your skin and your bones,
thought after thought without relenting. For innumerable kalpas, you have
exhausted all contrivances but your mind just will not stop and rest! [As a
result,] you have made serious vows time and again, having thousands of Buddhas
and numerous ancestral masters as your witnesses. Continuing in this way, you
left home again in this life, becoming a monastic with three robes in your
possession [6], calling yourself a person on the Path! The
truth is, you still can not see through what is happening in front of your very
eyes. Everything causes you to move your mind in reaction. What you do only adds
to the knot of birth and death that binds you, making you betray your original
aspiration to leave home.
If you go about in such a confused and reckless manner, even if you were to be given thousands of lifetimes to practice, you would only reinforce the wheel of karma, bringing no benefits in principle. You should know that sentient beings are bound and tied up gravely and there is nothing you can do. If you do not have the ability to live together with
others, you may as well put down everything, go and live in a thatched shack. That way, you can live your life in apathetic solitude, surviving on alms, wearing a patched robe, working only on your own salvation. That way, at least you will not be hurting the field of others, living like a shameless person with no humility.
Therefore I say that there is no way for you to understand the Buddhadharma
and there is no way for you to escape from birth and death! If you cannot
understand it or run away from it, why don't you simply abide in this place of
"no avail" [and practice]? Do not worry whether it will take you
twenty years or thirty years. When you suddenly penetrate through this place of
"no avail", you will find that I have not meant to deceive you.
FootNote
1. Refers to Bodhisattva Samantabhadra admonition.
2. Literally, "the twelve divisions of teachings in three
vehicles."
3. Literally, "one thousand seven hundred pieces of
intertwining rotten old vine."
4. Literally, "the classics of the sages and the hundred
philosophical schools."
5. Literally, "public consensus."
6. Refers to monastic Vinaya requiring monks to have no more
than three robes.
Live Actively...Practice Diligently
Retreat Report by E. B.
Prior to coming to the retreat...
"Is this going to be your last retreat?" was the response from my
husband when I asked if it would be ok for me to attend the Christmas retreat.
He gets nervous when I go to the retreat because he feels that I will come back
withdrawn from the world and will continue not to enjoy life.
Things were pretty rough in the family last year. Several times I thought it
would be the end of my marriage. On the morning of September 11th, we had our
biggest fight ever and both of us thought this was it. We then left home and
went to our work places. When I got out of the subway station, on my way to
work, I witnessed the second plane flying through the second tower. On that day,
our agency turned into a rescue center for the people who fled from the two
towers. The shock of 9/11 made me realize how trivial the fight I had with my
husband was. So, I called him at work and ended the fight. Subsequently, we have
decided to work hard on our marriage, and since then, things are getting better.
This was my fourteenth retreat and one that I really felt a strong need to
come to. I needed to repent for my and my family members' bad conduct and to
pray for world peace, and thought a 7-day retreat would be a good way to fulfill
my needs.
During the retreat...
During my first and only group interview with Shifu, he quickly reminded me
of what I need in order to be familiar with the method of silent illumination. I
need to meditate regularly and attend retreat more often. In addition, it helped
me to put down all the expectations I might have and to focus my attention on
following the instructions given by both Shifu and Guo Yuan Fa Shi. As the
result of this mentality, seven days went by quickly. I believe I didn't waste
any time idling in this retreat. I also learned how to relax my body and mind
and had a better understanding of the mental stages of the method.
One subject was brought up during the retreat, which was related to the
precept of no sexual misconduct. I found it very helpful to hear Shifu's
clarification about it. He stated that the essence of the precept has to be in
accordance with wisdom and compassion. One participant had raised several
questions related to sex that, I thought, were very relevant to lay
practitioners. He asked, "In general, how does Buddhism view sex? What is
Buddhism's point of view towards love, affection and passionate sex?" Shifu
stated that these were complicated issues and he would take time to think about
them. I look forward to hearing Shifu's talk regarding the aforementioned
subject.
I spent all of my spare time during this re-treat doing prostration. I felt
a strong sense of shame during the prostrations. I realized that I had been
taking things for granted. For example, I was fortunate enough to have the
chance to know and to learn from Shifu but I didn't work hard. I also have been
very passive in just about every aspect of my life, as if I were a child
refusing to grow up and afraid of taking responsibility. I think it is pointless
to spend time and effort analyzing why I acted the way I did. It would be more
beneficial for me to start to live actively and to practice diligently.
Summary
This retreat made me realize how casually and carelessly I have treated my practice, as if good cause and condition would always be there. Obviously, I need to constantly remind myself about the impermanence of life and practice as diligently as I can.
Finally, I want to thank Shifu, Guo Yuan Fa Shi, all the sanghas,
volunteers, retreat participants and my family for making this retreat possible
for me.
The Past
M aster Sheng Yen in
Moscow
 On
May 6-16, 2003, Master Sheng Yen, board member of the World Council of
Religious Leaders (WCRL), traveled to Moscow for an ecumenical meeting and
to lead a seven-day intensive Chan retreat. The meeting was held in the
Svyato-Danilov Monastery, the oldest and largest Russian Orthodox
monastery in Moscow. During the meeting, Master Sheng Yen met with Russian
religious leaders representing Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Buddhism.
They exchanged opinions regarding what religions have already accomplished
and what more they can do together to further world peace.
During the meeting, Master Sheng Yen updated those in attendance of the WCRL's
efforts and accomplishments over the past two years. These accomplishments
include attendance at the World Economic Forum; the conference in the U.N.
regional office in Bangkok where the Council was formally established; the
conference of female religious leaders in Geneva; and the Council's planning of
the World Youth Peace Conference to be held in the regional office in Kenya,
Africa, October 2004. Furthermore, he updated them on the Council's current
efforts to raise funds to develop a program for the psychological rebuilding in
postwar Iraq.
On behalf of the WCRL, Master Sheng Yen extended an invitation to the
Russian religious leaders to host a future WCRL meeting in Moscow. Hosting
of such an event would open Russia to receiving the kindly intentions of
various religious organizations from around the world and be an occasion
to further the dialogue on the ongoing efforts for achieving world peace.
The conclusion of the meeting was highlighted with the Russian
religious leaders indicating their willingness to consider the possibility
of hosting a future assembly of the World Council of Religious Leaders.
Master Sheng Yen's efforts and the openness of the religious leaders in
attendance constituted a meaningful first step in this historical process.
A Dharma Drum Chan meditation affiliate was also established during
this trip with the hope to deepen and broaden the spread of Chinese
Buddhism and to share the teachings of the Dharma with Russian society.
Two books based on Master Sheng Yen's discourses have already been
translated into Russian by the organization.
Master Sheng Yen ended his trip in Moscow by leading a seven-day Chan
Retreat from May 9th through May 16th at the Vysokoye guesthouse.
First Planning Session for the World
Youth Peace Summit
The World Council of Religious Leaders (WCRL) held the first planning
session of the World Youth Peace Summit (WYPS) on April 8, 2003 in Kyoto,
Japan. Youth leaders as well as leaders from religious, business,
government, professional and cultural sectors all over the world gathered
in Kyoto to discuss and plan the first WYPS to be held in Nairobi, Kenya
October 2004. Master Sheng Yen attended the planning session for the
Summit as one of the co-chairs of the World Council of Religious Leaders.
The Summit will convene under the auspices of the WCRL whose primary role
will be to listen and empower youth to play a more active role in conflict
resolution, and to explore new and innovative ways of examining and addressing
the most pressing global challenges. The Secretariat of the WCRL stated:
"This Summit aims to build a strong global network of young leaders
committed to working for peace transcending national borders, cultures, and
faith traditions. [We] will enable youth to engage in inter-generational
dialogue, so the wisdom and experience of their elders can help shape the vision
for the future. [It] also aims to develop a framework that celebrates
similarities and rises above differences to build a sound foundation for the
lasting future of peace in the next generation of leaders."
During informal meetings at the planning session for the WYPS in
Kyoto, members of the WCRL deliberated about the approach to providing
humanitarian aid to postwar Iraq. In addition to offering material aid
such as the provision of food and medical supplies, the Council also laid
emphasis on the importance of efforts to calm and ease people's minds.
Master Sheng Yen indicated that since many agencies are already providing
humanitarian aid of food and medical supplies to the postwar Iraqis, he
will focus more efforts on calming and easing the minds of the people
through sharing with them the concepts and rationale of protecting the
spiritual environment and empowering them to cope with the aftermath of
the war. Dharma Drum Mountain hopes to create lasting, positive effects on
Iraqi society just as it helped the victims of the catastrophic earthquake
in Taiwan in 1998.
Master Sheng Yen Lectures at Columbia
University
More than 1,100 attended Master Sheng Yen's lecture, entitled "The Eye
of the Storm," at Columbia University on Saturday, June 14.
Shifu spoke to the crowd about achieving inner peace in a troubled
world as if one were traveling in the eye of a storm. He addressed issues
such as the S.A.R.S. epidemic, global conflict, terrorism and violence
perpetrated in the name of religion. He reminded the audience of the
challenges our ancestors survived in earlier periods of history. These
obstacles, to which Shifu often refers, require us to drop our illusions
and fear in order to act effectively when a calamity strikes. He suggested
that everyone prepare to face and appropriately handle difficult
circumstances by learning to cultivate our minds. Through a series of
eminently practical, eloquent and funny examples, Master Sheng Yen
unraveled the illusions we maintain and the fears to which we cling, thus
revealing our misconceived perceptions of life and death.
Ironically, an actual storm came over New York City the day of the lecture. However, it was of short duration and, though those directly exposed to it were drenched, the
convoys were not detained for long. As a matter of fact, the storm seemed to revitalize the volunteers.
Many thanks and blessings to the Bodhisattvas who volunteered countless hours to make this event happen.
Master Sheng Yen Visits Texas
 June 20, 2003, Master Sheng Yen gave a lecture at the University of
Texas/Austin on the topic of "Living Chan", which over 700 university
students and scholars attended. Master Sheng Yen spoke about: 1) expounding the
Buddha everyday even while sleeping; 2) maintaining the clarity and relaxation
of the mind at all times and in all aspects of life; 3) Cultivating our
awareness while neither suppressing thoughts nor seeking the truth; 4) Benefitting others and
ourselves in our daily lives by relaxing and unifying our body and mind as
well as letting go of our illusions and vexations.
On June 21st, Master Sheng Yen made his third visit to Dallas upon the
invitation of the Dallas Chapter. His last visit there was twelve years ago.
Master Sheng Yen lectured at the Eisemann Center where John Murphy, Mayor Pro
Tem of Dallas, gave a welcoming address. The topic of the lecture was
"Chan: Suffering vs. Happiness." Master Sheng Yen lectured that the
apparent subtlety of suffering, joy, ignorance and enlightenment lies in a
thought. If the mind is unenlightened, suffering will arise. If the mind is
enlightened, joy will arise. He also noted that there are several types of
suffering and joy. There is suffering arising from pain and joy. The pains
associated with the material world are suffering arising from pain. The joys of
the material world are suffering arising from joy. Additionally, there is joy
arising from the five desires, joy arising from samadhi and joy arising from
liberation. The joy arising from the five desires and from samadhi is actually
suffering arising from joy. Only through the awakening of the wisdom of
impermanence and no-self can we find true joy arising from liberation.
A one-day Chan meditation retreat was held the following day on the
22nd. Guo Yuan Fa Shi, along with the assistance from other monastics and
disciples, taught the class of more than 250 people from the city.
Update on the Restitution of Askhobhya
Buddha
Chan Master Sheng Yen's effort at the restitution of the Askhobhya Buddha
statue of the Four Gates Pagoda (Sui Dynasty, 580-618 AD) was acknowledged
with gratitude by Mr. Mounir Bouchenaki, the Assistant Director-General
for Culture of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) this year.
In May 2003, Master Sheng Yen received a letter of thanks from Mr. Bouchenaki.
In his letter, he said, "it is heartening to see the success of the
voluntary restitution of cultural property." He hopes that "this may
serve as a valuable example to the inter-national community." This historic
endeavor not only served to draw the civic ties of both China and Taiwan closer
and encouraged academic exchange between the Straits on their common cultural
heritage, but it also marked the recognition of Master Sheng Yen's diligent
efforts in promoting engaged Buddhism in the international arena.
In 2002, when Chan Master Sheng Yen received the donation of the
Askhobhya Buddha head purchased by loyal followers in Taiwan, he embarked
on a journey to bring the Buddha head back to its original site. He
initiated various investigations by experts in the field of Buddhist
antiquities to determine its origins and it was finally concluded that the
donated Buddha head was from the Askhobhya Buddha situated at the East
Wall of the Four Gates Pagoda at the capital of Shandong Province, Jinan.
Master Sheng Yen's aspirations were to demonstrate support for UNESCO's noble
efforts to protect the world's cultural heritage and to draw the world's
attention and participation to the importance of preserving cultural history so
that our descendants may also enjoy its historical magnitude. It is the Master's
hope that "...this project can raise people's awareness to the significance
of the preservation of our cultural heritage so that many more antiquities such
as this one may be passed on for thousands of years to come."
Guo Yuan Fa Shi Visits Interfaith Center
Guo Yuan Fa Shi, along with other Buddhist leaders, was invited to be a
panelist in an intensive summer course for independent school teachers and
educators organized by the Interfaith Center of New York on June 24, 2003.
Professor Y. Chen Fang of Rutgers University began with an introduction to
Buddhism followed by each panelist giving a brief speech introducing themselves,
their organization, and the role their religion and organization plays within
the community. Guo Yuan Fa Shi introduced Dharma Drum Mountain's vision of
"Uplifting the human character and building a Pure Land on Earth." He
also shared with them his experiences on his path toward renunciation, Chan
Meditation Center's activities, and Shifu's modern teachings of the ancient
wisdom of the Buddhadharma. After all the panelists made their speeches, the
session was followed by a successful question and answer period.
... and Blessed City College of
Technology Commencement
Lenore Gall, City Tech's dean of students and academic services,
invited Guo Yuan Fa Shi to conduct a Buddhist ceremony during the
Commencement Exercise of the New York City College of Technology on June
2, 2003. Commencement was held at a theater within Madison Square Garden
with approximately 3,500 people in attendance.
As the academic procession made its way to the stage, many people in
the audience were quite surprised to see a Buddhist monk in the
procession. Upon seeing the packed theater, Guo Yuan Fa Shi realized the
magnitude of the event and started to ponder what to say as he heard each
speaker covering the topics he wished to discuss. To Guo Yuan Fa Shi's
surprise, everyone in the theater was asked to stand up when it was time
to conduct the benediction. He bowed to his audience and began his
benediction by congratulating the 900 graduates on their accomplishments.
However, he reminded them that although they have graduated this should be
seen as a new beginning. They have finished their academic studies and now
they are going to start on a new path. He hoped that they would be able to
do something to benefit themselves as well as others.
Guo Yuan Fa Shi concluded his benediction with chanting of the Four
Great Vows:
I vow to deliver innumerable sentient beings;
I vow to cut off endless vexations;
I vow to master approaches to the Dharma;
I vow to attain supreme Buddhahood.
At the end of his talk, the crowd enthusiastically applauded and appreciated his words of advice. The event was a great success and many commented on the soothing qualities of the chanting.
This was a groundbreaking occasion as it was the first time City Tech broke with tradition and asked a Buddhist monk to conduct the benediction ceremony.
DDMBA Leadership Seminar
On June 7 & 8, 2003 a mid-year leadership seminar was held at CMC
for DDMBA officers and select members from chapters and liaison offices
throughout the US and Canada.
On the first day, participants listened to a tape recorded by Shifu
who instructed participants to be democratic in reaching their consensus
for their local activities. He also urged us to be clear on what DDMBA
stands for such as uplifting ones character and building a pure land in
this world. As leaders and members, we all have the responsibility in
sharing with others the benefits of Buddha Dharma and experience of Ch'an
practices. He emphatically pointed out that we should not have the false
notion that only he and the Sangha are ordained to have this holy mission.
The seminar continued with Guo Yuan Fa Shi and Paul Lin, DDMBA
National President, suggesting ideas and areas in need of focus. It was
suggested that youth membership, both English and Chinese-speaking, should
become a focus for DDMBA activities. Also, focused attention should be
given to the need and care for new immigrants and foreign students from
China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Guo Chen Shi clarified some bookkeeping details regarding donating money for
DDMBA activities and Wei Tan, the organizations' web designer, explained the
current status of our website. Shifu's book excerpts and Chan magazine reruns
attracted most of the 10,000 hits per month. Mr. Tan urged more volunteers to
contribute their time and effort into the design and content of our website.
Members were organized in small group discussions for the rest of the seminar. Four major topics were discussed: 1) How to grow and break through the bottlenecks of activities; 2) How to care for and communicate with our members; 3) How to set up and manage the direction of fundraising activities; 4) How to organize, motivate and galvanize members. The break-out sessions generated fresh ideas for future plans and projects.
Overall, the seminar was a huge success.
Spring Silent Illumination Retreat
Retreatants congregated at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center to train under Chan
Master Sheng Yen on the method of silent illumination from May 22 - June 1,
2003. During Master Sheng Yen's lectures, he gave analogies of the monkey and
the parrot as examples of the conditions of our practice and attachments.
The Monkey
During a late autumn night, a monkey hanging by a branch that extended toward a pond noticed a bright reflection of the moon on the calm surface of the water. It reached into the pond to play with the moon, but not realizing that it was only a mere reflection, the monkey leapt into the pool and drowned. Our attachments are likened to that of the monkey
playing with the reflection of the moon. We should cultivate our awareness of phenomena as an illusion whenever we encounter them during our practice. Cultivating our awareness in this manner will eventually lead to non-grasping and non-attachment. Thus, if phenomena are truly recognized as illusions, the practitioner will know the true nature at every moment because he is encountering without
encountering. The practitioner will then not act like the monkey reaching out to an illusion while thinking that it is reaching out to reality.
The Parrot
Our struggles during the course of our practice are likened to that of a
parrot fighting with its own reflection. There was once an owner of a parrot who
could not find another parrot for his pet. Fearing that his parrot would be too
lonely, he came up with the solution of placing a mirror on the parrot's perch.
Thus, its own reflection would deceive it into thinking that it had a new
companion. However, because this was a male parrot, it became very agitated,
aggressive and territorial upon seeing another male parrot. It fought with the
parrot in the mirror viciously and constantly. After three days, the parrot was
covered with scabs and wounds that it had inflicted upon itself. In our practice
and our daily lives, our struggles with our scattered thoughts and emotions are
likened to that of the parrot fighting with its own reflection. We can have less
conflict and, as a result, fewer vexations if we can stop to realize that these
occurrences are only reflections of us. We can illuminate our minds to see the
true nature by allowing the ebb and flow of thoughts and emotions to occur.
Huatou Retreat Summer, 2003
From June 26¡XJuly 6, 2003, 67 retreatants from around the world joined
Master Sheng Yen in this summer's ten-day retreat to practice the method of
Huatou. In this retreat, Master Sheng Yen meticulously taught the method from
introductory to advanced levels. He elaborated on the relationship between
"seeing the nature" and enlightenment. Master Sheng Yen said that when
one is able to use the Huatou method to see the nature of emptiness it is not
necessarily equivalent to enlightenment. It is enlightenment only when one has
the correct view of "no characteristics". Otherwise, one can actually
become more arrogant if one misunderstands the experience.
There were two power failures during the retreat that affected
air-conditioning and plumbing. We applaud the good spirits of the
retreatants as they kept to their methods de-spite the discomfort!
New Dharma Lecturers Certified
During the general membership meeting of CMC on 6/15, Shifu openly bestowed
upon five CMC members the certificate of completion of the Dharma Lecturer
Beginners Class. The honor is given to those who have completed the first part
of the Dharma Lecturers' training, under Shifu's direction, and are considered
qualified to lecture on Dharma subjects. Since 1978, Shifu has been engaged
personally in teaching the views and methods of Chan Buddhism. Over the decades,
the overwhelming response to Buddhism in this country has rendered Shifu and his
Sangha disciples incapable of filling all the requests for lectures that they
receive. Shifu realized the urgent need for more Dharma lecturers and Chan
instructors at the beginners' level. In 1999, he started the beginners' class
for teaching Dharma lecturers, meditation teachers and retreat monitors. Dozens
of CMC members joined the class and a few of them have had the honor of
receiving the certificate of completion for either teaching the Chan practices
or giving Dharma lectures or both. The latest honors were given to the following
CMC members: Amy Yoo, David Ngo, Wendy Cheng, Jeffrey Kung and Lily Kung.
Lawrence Waldron and Frneslyn
Velasco Wed at Chan Center
Lawrence Waldron and Erneslyn (Nes) Velasco held their wedding
ceremony at the Chan Meditation Center on Saturday, June 14, 2003.
Master Sheng Yen officiated the ceremony and briefly spoke on the virtues of
respect and forgiveness in marriage. The couple paid respect to their parents in
a beautiful ceremony which included prostrations to their mothers, Barbara Budd-Mulzac
and Erlinda Hoefler. Nes' brother, Daniel Velasco, served as the witness and
read words of encouragement to the couple as did David Slaymaker, who read
verses on harmonious living from the Majjhima Nikaya. The couple then read their
matrimonial vows together and were blessed by Shifu. As the ceremony drew to an
end, the couple made an offering and presented garlands to Shifu and Guo Yuan Fa
Shi.
Lawrence, whose paintings are on display at the Chan Center Buddha
hall, is an art teacher. Nes is currently studying to become a nurse. They
have been participating in the Dharma life of the Chan Center together for
several years.
May Lawrence and Nes live together as each other's best friend and grow
together on the road ahead.
Buddhism is Good for You
Researchers are showing that the practice of meditation is not only
good for emotional well-being, but for physical health as well, according
to an article by Stephen S. Hall in The New York Times Magazine September
14. Over the past ten years, since the Dalai Lama offered to cooperate
with the research, a number of Buddhist monks have been meditating regularly
with a net of 256 electrodes on their heads in psychologist Richard Davidson's
lab at the University of Wisconsin, and the results of the experiments, though
as yet unpublished, are beginning to intersect with a number of other studies
that suggest meditation may have long-term physiological effects more profound
than the "relaxation response" popularized by Prof. Herbert Benson in
the seventies.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at
Massachusetts Medical School, has shown that people with psoriasis heal
four times faster if they meditate, and that meditators show an increased
ability to pro-duce antibodies in response to receiving a flu vaccine.
Scientists have been slow to accept research into meditation as legitimate, and in fact the Wisconsin study took five years to publish in part because a number of scientific journals refused to even send it out for peer review. But many of the researchers who both
practice and study meditation are convinced of its benefits, both from the results coming in and from their personal experience.
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