Things are not what they seem

Chikudo Lew Richmond at Vimala Sangha, September 3, 2007 • Download from Vimala Sangha's Teachings page (donate)

“Things are not what they seem, but they are not otherwise” • seeing the pace at which it gets dark • The two halves of Buddhist meditation • First, catching consciousness in the act of putting the world together (and carefully taking that apart) • Second, there is no other world, this world is the pure land • both/and (not either/or) • five step logic system • after thirty or forty years, this gets less mysterious; harder to explain, but less mysterious • sitting with the mind that rests, not the minds that parses • both/and . . . both loving someone and them annoying the hell out of you . . . not either/or • a heart practice, not a mind practice • far beyond all topsy-turvy views • your skin wakes up • looking at each frame • the rope or the snake? • crises, zen sticks and shouting