The Three Marks of Dharma

From Maria Kannon Zen Center – Chants

The Three Marks of Dharma

All compounded things are impermanent:
When one sees this with discernment,
One is freed from dissatisfaction.
This is the path to purity.

All compounded things are stressful:
When one sees this with discernment,
One is freed from dissatisfaction
This is the path to purity.

All phenomena are self-less:
When one sees this with discernment,
One is freed from dissatisfaction.
This is the path to purity.

Few are the human beings who go to the Further Shore,
These others simply scurry around on this shore.
But those who practice the Dhamma
In line with the well-taught Dhamma,
They will cross over Death’s realm, so hard to transcend.
Abandoning dark practices,
The wise person develops the bright,
Having gone from home to no-home
In Seclusion, so hard to relish.
There one aspires for delight,
Discarding sensuality—one who has nothing
Cleanses oneself, the wise one, of mental defilement.
Those whose minds are well-developed
In the factors of Awakening,
Who delight in non-clinging,
Relinquishing grasping, Glorious, free of defilement:
They are unbound in the world.
Impermanent are compounded things. (Anicca vata sankhara)
Their nature is to arise and pass away. (Uppada-vaya-dhammino) They disband as they are arising. (Uppajjitva nirujjhanti)
Their total stilling is bliss. (Tesam vupasamo sukho)

Universal Dedication

All Buddhas throughout space and time
All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, Wisdom beyond Wisdom.
Maha Prajna Paramita.

Practice and a dream

I had a dream just now that was quite interesting. Zen doesn’t seem to put a lot of stock in dreams. I’ve heard it’s the result of too much sleep (not the case for this one however). I think the ancients paid more attention to them. I’ve belonged to some dream groups and had Jungian analysis, which often uses dreams. To me dreams are a message from myself to myself. A letter maybe telling me what is happening in my life.

This dream had a lot of repeathing themes. It was set in a huge home that seemed to have endless new wings.