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The Dharma Seal of the Present Moment
The principle of living peacefully in the present—the practice of dwelling happily in the present moment—is emphasized through the study of three fundamental sutras in meditation practice:
- The Anapanasati Sutra (Mindfulness of Breathing)
- The Satipatthana Sutra (Contemplation of the Body, Feelings, Mind, and Objects of Mind)
- The Sutra on Knowing How to Live Alone (Bhaddekaratta Sutta)
The Sutra on Knowing How to Live Alone teaches us to dwell in the present moment, not to regret the past, not to worry about the future, and helps our meditation practice to remain true to the authentic path of the Buddha.
The teaching of dependent co-arising—the teaching of interbeing—shows that all phenomena arise and cease because of each other; for example, suffering and happiness can only be understood through their interrelationship; the breath becomes happiness only when we deeply recognize its value. In the Pure Land tradition, there appear three realms of Pure Land as skillful means:
- The Land of Great Happiness—where beings are free from suffering and experience peace and joy
- The Land of Wondrous Joy—miraculous joy, an unmoving mind
- The Pure Land of Maitreya—Maitri, steadfast and boundless love
All these Pure Lands invite us to recognize and practice happiness right here and now.
The Tradition of Generating the Zen Lineage of Buddhism: Practices at Plum Village - Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels