As I type this short post, the sweet taste of honey still lingers in my mouth. There are subtle traces of fragrant incense in the air and there is joy bubbling inside this bag of skin and bone. Honey is sweet by nature, but honey gifted by a friend is sweet in the heart as well. Incense is pleasant on its own, but it permeates more when it is given as a sign of friendship. Today I get to feel much of that joy, coming from genuine generous friendship.
To take refuge in the sangha is fundamental for us, Zen practitioners, and we actually begin receiving the precepts by taking refuge. As a matter of fact, all the Precepts are nothing but an explanation of what taking the 3 refuges means, so really, to embrace the Sangha and to open oneself to being embraced by the Sangha, to intimately bond with others that walk the same path, is part of a bodhisattva’s way of existing and manifesting the Precepts. I say this because practicing here, at Treeleaf, has opened the doors, windows and all gates for me to be able to take refuge in the Sangha in a meaningful and profound way. This post is mostly meant to express my deep gratitude for the friends, mentors, brothers and sisters that have come into existence for me in this virtual temple of ours. I am encouraged, comforted, supported and inspired continuously, so really, I understand that taking refuge in the Sangha is like returning home, to safety and peace: it is never one way. To seek the Sangha is to find the Sangha, and inevitably to be embraced by it.
[emoji1374] Sat Today
Excuse the length of this, please. I couldn't fit it all in three sentences.
To take refuge in the sangha is fundamental for us, Zen practitioners, and we actually begin receiving the precepts by taking refuge. As a matter of fact, all the Precepts are nothing but an explanation of what taking the 3 refuges means, so really, to embrace the Sangha and to open oneself to being embraced by the Sangha, to intimately bond with others that walk the same path, is part of a bodhisattva’s way of existing and manifesting the Precepts. I say this because practicing here, at Treeleaf, has opened the doors, windows and all gates for me to be able to take refuge in the Sangha in a meaningful and profound way. This post is mostly meant to express my deep gratitude for the friends, mentors, brothers and sisters that have come into existence for me in this virtual temple of ours. I am encouraged, comforted, supported and inspired continuously, so really, I understand that taking refuge in the Sangha is like returning home, to safety and peace: it is never one way. To seek the Sangha is to find the Sangha, and inevitably to be embraced by it.
[emoji1374] Sat Today
Excuse the length of this, please. I couldn't fit it all in three sentences.
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