Refuge in the Sangha and the importance of friendship

[Seiko]

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 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.

Seiko
stlah

[Risho]

Beautiful

gassho

risho
-stlah

[Suuko]

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 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.

Wonderful post, brother. I think that one never loses the connection to the Sangha. When I sit, there's a part of the Sangha in me. When we are in action, it's the dharma in action. When I sit one way, I am always smiling and bowing to the screen. The connection is there.

Gassho,
Suuko.




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[DanM]

Very well said Bion

Gassho,
Dan
ST/LAH

[Ankai]

A rock is just a rock. Not particularly special in any way. But if you take that rock, put it with a bunch of other rocks, and a little grit and water and then bang them into each other for an extended period of time, they polish each other and what went in there as a rock comes out as a shining jewel.
...that's how Sangha works.

Just got off the cushion.

[Veronica]

Beautiful. Gassho [emoji4]
Veronica
Stlah

[Hoseki]

Gassho

Hoseki
sattoday

[paulashby]

Thank you Bion for all the ways you add grace,service and an ever welcoming
bow to our sangha. Your positive energy shines across all time zones.

Gassho,peace, Paul Ashby sat lah

[Chikyou]

Gassho
SatLah
Kelly

[Meiun]

Lovely Bion! Thank you for your thoughts....

Gassho [emoji120]

Meiun

Sat today

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