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Tuyet Dang Tu
Walking meditation is the core practice for transforming a monastery into a Pure Land, allowing every step to be nourishing and healing. In the “Saha world,” people run constantly, driven by the belief that happiness is only possible in the future. However, in the Buddha Land, one walks with peace and joy, making a lotus flower bloom with each step. If the habit energy of running is too strong, one cannot enjoy the present moment, and even upon rebirth in the Pure Land, one would need to be educated by Bodhisattvas on how to walk and sit peacefully to preserve the land’s beauty.
The teaching of Xian fa le zhu—living happily in the present moment—emphasizes that Nirvana and the Pure Land are found in the here and the now. To practice this, coordinate the breath with steps. When breathing in, take two steps and say, “I have arrived.” When breathing out, take two steps and say, “I am home.” This signifies arriving in the Buddha Land and stopping the running. Zen Buddhism is made of two elements: stopping (samatha) and looking deeply; without stopping, one cannot have the insight to look deeply.
A short gatha is used to deepen this concentration:
- I have arrived, I am home
- In the here, in the now
- I am solid, I am free
- In the Buddha land, I dwell
“In the here, in the now” is the precise address of all Buddhas. “Solid and free” means being established in the present, not pulled by the past or future. This practice can be applied anywhere, inviting parents, teachers, and the Buddha to walk within you, using the Buddha’s feet to walk in the Pure Land today.
