Zen Buddhist Talk – Boundless Compassion within a Bounded World

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi is the Abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery, and the head of the Mountains and Rivers Order.

“Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind created.” – The Dhammapada

Most people, at their core, are caring, kind and want to help others. This is compassion in Buddhism; to actively work to alleviate the suffering of others. However, because of our self-clinging, false views and attachments we don’t always feel and act this way. And even when our hearts are open, we can feel stuck by others’ unwillingness or lack of capacity to change. We can feel overwhelmed by situations we want to change but have little ability to do so.

This evening talk and discussion will explore Buddhist practices for both cultivating loving kindness within ourselves and directing this to others. Drawing from the Buddha’s enlightened understanding of the power of mind, we always have the ability to reach out to others through such practices, even to those we will never meet. In this way, the mind and world is transformed.

Entry by koha