Original Mind Zen Sangha

Zen may begin on the meditation cushion; however, true practice should extend into every aspect of our lives, not just the seated position.

True Zen practice does not expect anything in return. It is not a means to an ends, but the ends itself.

The good news is that everything is impermanent, changing; every moment is brand new. This means that we are ultimately free. However, if we expect certainty and fixedness from life, then impermanence is also bad news. Buddhism teaches us how to stop clinging and accept things just as they are--free from both bad and good.

Do as little harm as possible; that is the way of the Buddhas.

Probably the most staggering teaching in Buddhism is that we are already Buddha.

Every being and blade of grass is sacred. All deserve our kindness and respect, even those we view as unpleasant.

In Buddhism, everything is sacred. If we treat the smallest organisms with respect and compassion, imagine how we could treat our fellow humans.

We don't have to live any single way. What constrains us the most is not our circumstances, but our own minds and the ways that we view the world. Introduction and sound engineering by Tom Eunsahn Gartland.

Zen practice is not about recovering some pristine stare or original purity; it's realizing that we were never separate from it in the first place. Introduction and sound engineering by Tom Eunsahn Gartland.

When we investigate our thoughts and emotions--the internal experiences that often have so much power over our happiness--we find that they are fleeting and substance-less. Then we find that there is no need to fight or abolish unpleasant emotions because they are empty of the very power that we imbue them with. Introduction and sound engineering by Tom Eunsahn Gartland.

If we pay attention to what is actually in front of us--as opposed to what we are thinking about--then we know exactly why we are here: to change the diaper, help a friend, write an article. Whatever appears before us then becomes our purpose. Introduction and sound engineering by Tom Eunsahn Gartland.