Posted inMC Podcasts, Other Teachings

Teisho: Ruben Habito: All Beings Are Buddha – Guest Episode

March 1, 2018

All beings are by nature Buddha,
As ice by nature is water.
Apart from water, there is no ice.
Apart from beings, no Buddha

 

“… we are, and have always been, immersed in an infinite reality …” ~ Ruben Habito

immersed in infinite reality

Description: This talk was given by Ruben Habito Roshi, founding teacher of Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas, TX. Its central theme is the first line of Hakuin Zenji’s Song of Zazen, “All beings are by nature Buddha.” Ruben explores what it means that from the beginning, we are already awakened, and how we are blocked from seeing this. In a state of insecurity, uncertainty and fear, we are subject to the influence of greed, ill will and ignorance. He refers to the Christian tradition to articulate what it means to be awakened and discusses the meaning of Lent. We are made in the divine image of something beyond our imagination; Zen practice allows us to get back to what we truly are—goodness, truth and beauty. The talk unfolds into a second level of meaning in the statement, “All beings are by nature Buddha,” in that we are, and have always been, immersed in an infinite reality. A third interpretation is that there is nothing to attain in practice; rather, practice is a way of removing the blocks that prevent us from seeing that we already have everything we need, and more.

NOTE: The original recording is at a low audio level, however the quality is good. Please increase/adjust your volume when Ruben’s talk begins (@ ~ 1:18 minute mark) and you’ll be able to listen without any issues. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience.

Ruben L.F. Habito is “… a native of the Philippines, went to Japan in his early twenties as a Jesuit seminarian, and began training in Zen under the guidance of Yamada Koun Roshi, then head of the Sanbo Kyodan community, at the San-Un Zendo in Kamakura Japan. Ordained Jesuit priest in 1976, and having completed Doctoral studies in Buddhism at the University of Tokyo, he taught at Sophia University, all the while continuing his Zen practice. He was authorized as Zen Teacher by Yamada and given the Zen Name Keiun-ken (Grace Cloud) in 1988.  He left the Jesuit order in 1989 and moved to Dallas, Texas. He teaches at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. Since 1991 he has been guiding teacher at the Maria Kannon Zen Center community in Dallas. He is married to Maria Reis Habito, with whom he has two sons, Florian and Benjamin …” ~ BIO excerpted from Sweeping Zen.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Human by spirit111, CCO Public Domain.

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