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In Search of the World-Honored One – Full Teaching
On the beach of Sri Lanka, chanting “Buddham saranam gacchami” has bridged space and religion, as both Buddhist and Catholic children joined their palms, then expanded into familiar invocations throughout India and the West:
- Namo Buddhaya
- Namo Maria-ya
- Namo Christa-ya
- Om Namah Christaya
-
Om Namah Shivaya
The sound “Om” – the primeval sound – appears in Om Mani Padme Hum and is practiced in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, in connection with the breath. In many Christian communities, as one breathes in, one recites “Jesus, my Lord” / “Jésus, mon Seigneur”, and as one breathes out, “Jesus, my God”; in some places, they add “Jesus, fill me with yourself” and “Jesus, empty me of myself”, deeply imbued with the insight of interbeing between subject and object.
I have searched for the World-Honored One since I first became aware of my breath, wandering through oceans, deserts, celestial mountains, and the hell of Avici, only to, in one afternoon of walking meditation, see autumn leaves falling along the old path, the moon hanging before the gate – all phenomena are mirrors of the ultimate dimension, reflecting the ontological ground, revealing the original face. Through the night of ambrosial rain, after the storm has passed, looking out the window I see the late moon and the earth and sky truly at peace. From that moment, I have received:
– the element of solidity
– the element of freedom
– peace
I vow with all my heart to nurture and transmit these three seeds to all beings, continuing the life stream of the Tathagata today and tomorrow.