A mountain casting a shadow on a mountain A mountain in the light ‘creating’ a mountain in the dark Reminds me of the Buddha’s light of purity, that is so strong that it shows us our unseen darkness of defilements. (Scenes of Wutaishan’s Taihuaizhen village) Next...

While preparing for a a Zen course: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/05/course-the-magic-of-zen-origins-stories-essence I did research on the Flower Sermon, which is briefly this… When Shakyamuni Buddha spoke the Dharma, Maha Brahma presented him with a golden lotus and the Buddha...

Something written for an inter-religious exhibition: The offering of water at Buddhist shrines symbolises the aspiration to cultivate the virtues of calmness, clarity and purity with our body, speech and mind. It reminds us to diligently cleanse ourselves of our spiritual defilements of...

All good things come to an end, in departure and death. All good things come to an end, if they are not yet pure. All good and bad things should thus transform to be more and more...

If the lotus symbolises spiritual purity, as it blossoms despite roots in mud (which represents defilements), does the offering of lotus flowers represent purity at shrines? But the offering of flowers traditionally represents impermanence (of our bodies), as they swiftly wither away despite...

From ‘X-Men: Messiah Complex’ by Ed Brubaker et al, are these files by Cyclops - File 27: The X-Men – The X-Men have always defended both mutants and humans, so that humans could see that, like them, there were good mutants, as well as bad… Comments: As many X-Men fans...

Capital Tower* catching the setting sun, glowing like a pillar of gold. Reminds me of Amituofo, that supreme beacon of golden light which shines in all directions, even in broad daylight! Are you mindful enough, pure enough, to see it yet? * Amituofo’s Pureland is likened to the...

The Cintamani*… fulfills any wish in concord with the Dharma, represents the boundless power of the Dharma, reminds us to perfect practice of the Dharma. *Wish-fulfilling jewel Lotus Shadow The lotus** and its shadow… Are we basking in the light of purity, or still in its...