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Winter Retreat
Encounters with a young boy in Taipei and a girl in Germany serve as a reminder that teachers and disciples recognize each other across many lives. These meetings raise the question of where we come from and where we go. The Buddha is the Tathagata, the one who comes from Suchness—ultimate reality—and returns to Suchness. Since ultimate reality is right here and now, there is no need for transportation; there is no coming and no going. Similarly, Jesus comes from the Father and returns to the Father, yet remains accessible in the present moment.
Birth is simply a new manifestation, not a beginning from nothing, and death is the end of a manifestation, not a cessation of being. Our true nature is the nature of no birth and no death. The Lotus Sutra confirms that everyone possesses buddhata, or Buddha nature. This nature is inherent not only in humans but also in animals, vegetables, and minerals. Looking deeply reveals that we continue to be rocks, clouds, and deer in the present moment. Buddha nature is not a result of evolution but manifests whenever conditions are sufficient.
Practice should lead to freedom from fear and grief, but one must be careful not to become a victim of rituals. Forms of practice, such as walking meditation or eating in silence, must generate joy, peace, and serenity rather than being imposed as hardship. A prisoner practicing mindful walking offers a true silent Dharma talk, often more profound than those caught in the business of religion. True freedom is found when one can outwardly maintain the form of holding a begging bowl while inwardly throwing it into the air and rolling in the grass, remaining entirely free from the ritual itself.
