Reflection on the Guan Yin Retreat
Talk given in the CTTB Buddha Hall on 10/22/2016
By Eric Berman
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, Dharma Friends. My name is Eric Berman, disciple Qin1 Fan4. Amituofo. Please kindly correct me if anything I say does not accord with the proper Dharma.
Yesterday I was asked to share a bit about myself and my experience during the Fall Guan Yin Session. I'm not sure that I have anything valuable to share; however, I hope that my words might be of some benefit. Perhaps my words can simply express gratitude. I offer my words to Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva and all that made this session possible.
I am a first year graduate student at Dharma Realm Buddhist University. I was born and raised in New York City and first came to Buddhism as an undergraduate in North Carolina. After an outburst of anger at a time of impatience, I fell into a deep depression. As a result, I began reading about Buddhism. I never wanted to lose my temper and harm anyone with hateful speech again. Although I didn't understand much from the books I read, I felt very peaceful reading them and wanted to learn more about the Dharma.
After graduating from college in 2012, I returned to New York and began practicing in a Japanese Zen Buddhist school. Last year, I traveled to California to live at two different Soto Zen temples for a total of six months. The first temple was in the Santa Lucia mountains an hour from the nearest stoplight. I didn't leave the temple for five months, and during that time I had no cell phone service and only accessed a computer a handful of times. I found a deeper sense of calm being away from technology and the relatively rapid pace of life in the modernized world. The second temple was where I--when perusing the library for books on Chinese Dharma Masters--found a worn red book with a black and white picture of a very serene cultivator on the front. The book was The Pictorial Biography of Venerable Master Hsu Yun, written by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua.
Master Hsu Yun's life story left a lasting imprint on my mind. I was especially inspired by his bowing pilgrimage. I soon discovered that Master Hua was his direct disciple and began to read more of the Venerable Master's teachings. As I read, I became inspired by Master Hua's words; even reading them from the pages of a book I could tell that they contained immense force. I learned that he had founded a temple in California and wanted to visit, but the conditions had not yet ripened; I became sick halfway through the meditation practice period and had to return home to New York. It was only later that I was accepted into Dharma Realm Buddhist University to take part in their Master's program. I finally had a chance to visit the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
I feel very fortunate to be here living, studying, and practicing at DRBU and within the larger temple community. The university program is extremely unique because students have the opportunity to balance academic work, community work, and spiritual ceremonies. This balance can make our minds very flexible, especially because the texts we read encourage us to see everything as cultivation. Whether we are bowing in the Buddha Hall, writing a paper, or cleaning toilets in the men's dormitory, we always have an opportunity to cultivate our minds.
One of the strengths of the program is that the university really encourages students to engage in spiritual practice. That is why I feel so fortunate to have had a week off from classes to take part in the Guan Yin session. This was my first session at the temple. There were many people here from all over the country and all over the world. One of my sister's old friends from New York, who now lives in Oakland, was here. I hadn't seen him in twelve years. The last time I saw him was in 2004 when he helped me get to my first day of high school. And here we were this week, reciting Guan Yin's name and circumambulating the Buddha Hall together. Overall, the session had a joyous atmosphere. What brought everyone together was their sincere hearts.
This Guan Yin session was especially meaningful to me because on the Venerable Master's leaving home day, I took refuge in the Triple Jewel and took the five lay precepts. Doing so at this way place was very important. The precepts are a reminder to rectify my conduct and improve myself with each passing day. The precepts are also a reminder to live and practice in harmony with the community.
In our Buddhist Classics class, we are currently studying the Platform Sutra. The Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, says, about practice: "Buddhahood is realized within the essential nature; do not seek for it outside yourself." He goes on to say that, "Kindness and compassion are Avalokitesvara." I see that the contention and judgmental attitude within in my own mind--habits conditioned over years of seeking for distinction and professional success in a competitive career field--must be transformed into the kindness and compassion embodied by Guan Yin.
Guan Yin's arms don't argue with one another. She doesn't have one arm that brags about how it is superior to her other arms, how it is stronger and can reach further than the others. Guan Yin's arms don't do battle with one another. They are all unified in action by her broad, compassionate mind. Her arms all manifest her vow to save all living beings. This allows her to act with an unimpeded mind, without thoughts of praise or blame.
Being mindful of Guan Yin, I can strive to manifest her kindness in the world at each moment. If I can act without prideful thoughts it will help to maintain harmony in the community with other practitioners. Instead of being competitive, I can rejoice in the strengths of others. Instead of being judgmental, I can be patient and more understanding, showing compassion and relieving suffering. Although I don't feel that I have any ability at this moment, I hope to bring forth and maintain the resolve to practice. May we all practice and be mindful of Guan Yin and her great vows and compassion.
Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa
Talk given in the CTTB Buddha Hall on 10/22/2016
By Eric Berman
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Venerable Master, Dharma Masters, Dharma Friends. My name is Eric Berman, disciple Qin1 Fan4. Amituofo. Please kindly correct me if anything I say does not accord with the proper Dharma.
Yesterday I was asked to share a bit about myself and my experience during the Fall Guan Yin Session. I'm not sure that I have anything valuable to share; however, I hope that my words might be of some benefit. Perhaps my words can simply express gratitude. I offer my words to Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva and all that made this session possible.
I am a first year graduate student at Dharma Realm Buddhist University. I was born and raised in New York City and first came to Buddhism as an undergraduate in North Carolina. After an outburst of anger at a time of impatience, I fell into a deep depression. As a result, I began reading about Buddhism. I never wanted to lose my temper and harm anyone with hateful speech again. Although I didn't understand much from the books I read, I felt very peaceful reading them and wanted to learn more about the Dharma.
After graduating from college in 2012, I returned to New York and began practicing in a Japanese Zen Buddhist school. Last year, I traveled to California to live at two different Soto Zen temples for a total of six months. The first temple was in the Santa Lucia mountains an hour from the nearest stoplight. I didn't leave the temple for five months, and during that time I had no cell phone service and only accessed a computer a handful of times. I found a deeper sense of calm being away from technology and the relatively rapid pace of life in the modernized world. The second temple was where I--when perusing the library for books on Chinese Dharma Masters--found a worn red book with a black and white picture of a very serene cultivator on the front. The book was The Pictorial Biography of Venerable Master Hsu Yun, written by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua.
Master Hsu Yun's life story left a lasting imprint on my mind. I was especially inspired by his bowing pilgrimage. I soon discovered that Master Hua was his direct disciple and began to read more of the Venerable Master's teachings. As I read, I became inspired by Master Hua's words; even reading them from the pages of a book I could tell that they contained immense force. I learned that he had founded a temple in California and wanted to visit, but the conditions had not yet ripened; I became sick halfway through the meditation practice period and had to return home to New York. It was only later that I was accepted into Dharma Realm Buddhist University to take part in their Master's program. I finally had a chance to visit the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
I feel very fortunate to be here living, studying, and practicing at DRBU and within the larger temple community. The university program is extremely unique because students have the opportunity to balance academic work, community work, and spiritual ceremonies. This balance can make our minds very flexible, especially because the texts we read encourage us to see everything as cultivation. Whether we are bowing in the Buddha Hall, writing a paper, or cleaning toilets in the men's dormitory, we always have an opportunity to cultivate our minds.
One of the strengths of the program is that the university really encourages students to engage in spiritual practice. That is why I feel so fortunate to have had a week off from classes to take part in the Guan Yin session. This was my first session at the temple. There were many people here from all over the country and all over the world. One of my sister's old friends from New York, who now lives in Oakland, was here. I hadn't seen him in twelve years. The last time I saw him was in 2004 when he helped me get to my first day of high school. And here we were this week, reciting Guan Yin's name and circumambulating the Buddha Hall together. Overall, the session had a joyous atmosphere. What brought everyone together was their sincere hearts.
This Guan Yin session was especially meaningful to me because on the Venerable Master's leaving home day, I took refuge in the Triple Jewel and took the five lay precepts. Doing so at this way place was very important. The precepts are a reminder to rectify my conduct and improve myself with each passing day. The precepts are also a reminder to live and practice in harmony with the community.
In our Buddhist Classics class, we are currently studying the Platform Sutra. The Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, says, about practice: "Buddhahood is realized within the essential nature; do not seek for it outside yourself." He goes on to say that, "Kindness and compassion are Avalokitesvara." I see that the contention and judgmental attitude within in my own mind--habits conditioned over years of seeking for distinction and professional success in a competitive career field--must be transformed into the kindness and compassion embodied by Guan Yin.
Guan Yin's arms don't argue with one another. She doesn't have one arm that brags about how it is superior to her other arms, how it is stronger and can reach further than the others. Guan Yin's arms don't do battle with one another. They are all unified in action by her broad, compassionate mind. Her arms all manifest her vow to save all living beings. This allows her to act with an unimpeded mind, without thoughts of praise or blame.
Being mindful of Guan Yin, I can strive to manifest her kindness in the world at each moment. If I can act without prideful thoughts it will help to maintain harmony in the community with other practitioners. Instead of being competitive, I can rejoice in the strengths of others. Instead of being judgmental, I can be patient and more understanding, showing compassion and relieving suffering. Although I don't feel that I have any ability at this moment, I hope to bring forth and maintain the resolve to practice. May we all practice and be mindful of Guan Yin and her great vows and compassion.
Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa
