《 Fragrance of Spring 》

《 View 》

《 I entrust myself to Earth 》

I entrust myself to Earth;
Earth entrusts herself to me.
I entrust myself to Buddha;
Buddha entrusts herself to me.
~ Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh

This is one of my favorite gathas for daily Mindfulness practices. Even though it is meant for planting a seed or a seedling; to entrust it to the Earth, I feel it is also for us to entrust ourselves to her. Whether the Earth is beautiful, fresh, and green, or withered and dry depends on the plants entrusted to the Earth. The plants and the Earth reply on each other for life, just as we and the Earth reply on each other for life.

《 Chrysanthemum 》

《 Spring Breeze 》

《 Avalokita 》

Waking up this morning
Twenty four brand new hours are before me
I vow to live each moment fully
and look at all beings
with the eyes of compassion

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

《 Dewy Moon 》

Dew in the moonlight
A river of stars
Snow-covered pines
Clouds hovering on mountain peak
~ Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091 - 1157)

The twelfth-century Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091 - 1157) is the founder of Silent Illumination meditation school, known as Soto Zen, a non dual, objectless practice. His writings are poetic expressions of meditative concentration and insight, and of the working of awakened mind. Each of the paragraphs encapsulates the whole teaching.

This calligraphy was inspired by my first Silent Illumination retreat with my first Buddhist teacher, Master Sheng Yen, based on the teaching of Hongzhi's poem. During the retreat, a huge snowstorm took over the entire retreat center, covered it with 14 inches pure white snow overnight. I walked out the meditation hall at night after long meditation practice and experienced vividly the landscape of this poem live.

The clouds in the night sky were not hovering on mountain peak, but they were free just as my heart was free, still and present to experience Hongzhi's teaching live.

《 Fish Swimming Slowly 》

The water is clear right down to the bottom
Fish lazily swim on
~ Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091 - 1157)

This calligraphy was inspired by a day of Mindfulness practice of our Plum Village tradition. At the end of the day, I was out doing a walking meditation with our group, with everyone walking so mindfully and gently on the streets and in the park in Upper West side. I was walking side by side with a sangha sister, our steps were in sync, our moves were so slow that i felt as if I were a fish swimming in a lake with the crystal clear reflection of the buildings, birds, children laughing, etc.. My mind was as clear as still water, reflecting all that was around me. We were like a school of fish lazily swimming on. This line of Hongzhi's poem came to me. That was the beginning of me learning to walk, just to enjoy walking. Walk with my feet, not with my mind.

《 Autumn Pond 》

The crane dreams in the wintery mists
The autumn waters flow far in the distance
~ Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091 - 1157)

This calligraphy was inspired by the Silent Illumination retreat I had attended with my first teacher, Master Sheng Yen. Autumn is a season of stillness; the air is crisp, water is still, like the mind of meditative stillness. This is the practice I apply in the midst of hustle and bustle living in NYC, riding the subway, constantly in the crowds. But when our mind and body have enough stillness; the noise, the yelling, the crowds can not irritate us as much.

And when our mind is still, we are more able to see clearly of our thinking patterns, our reactions, our chattering and by knowing, we are able to break the patterns, transform our ingrained habit energy.

《 Emptiness is not other than form 》

From the Heart sutra, on the teaching of Emptiness.