What is a true person?

January 5, 2010
Tricycle's Daily Dharma
What is a True Person?

Insight can’t be found in sutras, commentaries, verbal expression, or —isms. Liberation and awakened understanding can’t be found by devoting ourselves to the study of the Buddhist scriptures. This is like trying to find fresh water in dry bones. Returning to the present moment, using our clear mind which exists right here and now, we can be in touch with liberation and enlightenment, as well as with the Buddha and the patriarchs as living realities right in this moment. The person who has nothing to do is sovereign unto herself. She doesn’t need to put on airs or leave any trace behind.

The true person is an active participant, engaged in her environment while remaining unoppressed by it. Although all phenomena are going through the various appearances of birth, abiding, changing, and dying, the true person doesn’t become a victim of sadness, happiness, love, or hate. She lives in awareness as an ordinary person, whether standing, walking, lying down, or sitting. She doesn’t act a part, even the part of a great Zen master. This is what Master Linji means by “being sovereign wherever you are and using that place as your seat of awakening.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh, "Simply Stop," Fall 2007 Tricycle

Six word story 2

Her feet were on the ground.

Meet Bill Strickland

Bill Strickland is a powerful force for good. You can learn more here.

Sorry, one last post for today...

Streaming hit of the day:)

Dark eyes

Rodg has been taking some outstanding photographs of birds this weekend. Really, one of my big highlights of 2009 that I should have listed the other day was getting a Nikon digital SLR. It has been such a pleasure to see the amazing photographs my sweetie has been taking with it. And anyone who has spent any time in my company discussing birds knows that my most favorite bird is the titmouse, which he got a great shot of:


I was looking at it and once again going on and on about how these little birds just delight me, how they seem to have so much personality. Perhaps I've spent several lifetimes as a titmouse because it's kind of odd how incredibly fond I am of this humble little bird. Perhaps it is my animal totem, etc., etc. I can go on for hours like this, really. And Rodg said, "It's their dark eyes." And it kind of cracked me up, because I really do love dark eyes!

And then (welcome to my brain) it made me think of a favorite, favorite concert moment when Patti Smith and Bob Dylan sang "Dark Eyes" at the Orpheum in Boston a million years ago (this footage is from that same tour). You are in for a treat!

Silly good fun and streaming favorites

This rockin' romp with Rainn Wilson (Dwight from "The Office") may not be for everyone, but it was a hit with us as light New Year's Eve fare. See what you think:) Wish it were streaming on Netflix...



Here are some great films that are currently streaming on Netflix (not necessarily silly, but very enjoyable in their own ways).

Happy New Year!

Here's to a 2010 full of joy and love!