What we’re about
The group is for people to meet, discuss, share and help each other for Spiritual Growth, Cultivation and Network.
We know that we have body, mind and spirit. The body is tangible and will go through birth, sickness, aging, and death. It also has duality, there is men and women and it lives in the physical world. Mind is intangible, but still has duality. There are positive/negative thoughts. The spirit is intangible and beyond duality. Lao Tzu used Tao to refer to origin of creation and the pure spirit within each one of us. Buddha called the pure spirit as Buddha nature, meaning everyone can reach Buddhahood or enlightenment. It is referred to as the image of God in Bible and spirit of Allah in Koran. The more modern terms can be pure awareness or pure consciousness.
Even though there are different names, they all point to the same pure nature within us.
The analogy of sun and clouds is one of my favourites. The pure nature can be likened to the sun, which is always emitting light regardless of sunny days, cloudy days or stormy days. The vexations such as anger, resentment, greed, ignorance, attachment to fame, possessions...etc. can be liken to clouds that can temporarily obscure the light from the pure nature. However, once they are blown away, the light or wisdom from the pure nature will shine again.
The spiritual cultivation is the journey to awaken to the pure nature within us and how to blow away clouds of delusions to let the wisdom or light to flow from the pure nature without hindrance, which lead us to a life with joy, ease and love while living in this dualistic world.
We use Zen teachings as a starting point and are open to any other teachings, such as those from Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, Lao Tzu...etc. and life experiences and wisdom from within each one of us.
Buddha reached Buddhahood more than 2500 years ago and realised that all sentient beings have Buddha nature and can reach Buddhahood if they find and restore Buddha nature and follow it at all times instead of following desires and egotistic thoughts.
The Flower Sermon is a story of the origin of Zen Buddhism in which Gautama Buddha transmits direct prajñā (wisdom) to the disciple Mahākāśyapa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Sermon)
In the story, the Buddha gives a wordless sermon to his disciples (sangha) by holding up a white flower. No one in the audience understands the Flower Sermon except Mahākāśyapa, who smiles. Within Zen, the Flower Sermon communicates the ineffable nature of tathātā (suchness) and Mahākāśyapa's smile signifies the direct transmission of wisdom without words.
The Buddha affirmed this by saying:
I possess the true Dharma eye, the marvelous heart of Nirvana, the true form of the formless, the subtle Dharma Gate that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures. This I entrust to Mahākāśyapa.
About 1000 years later, the 28th Patriarch Bodhidharma was told by 27th Patriarch there to go to ancient China to find a successor and transmit the true Dharma eye. He was called by people in China at that time the first Patriarch. The book platform sutra is recorded with sixth Patriarch's teachings. There is great mystery and wisdom in it and the group is aiming to study, discuss and understand it and apply in life for awakening the original Buddha nature in each of us.
Welcome to join us and study, discuss, practice and share understanding and realizations with each other so that wisdom of Buddha and Zen can be applied in life and cultivate spirituality.
Moreover, welcome to check out other related meetup groups and their events below.
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/tao-te-ching/
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/vegetarian-vegan/
Meet online or in person during week nights or weekend that suits members' time.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Song of EnlightenmentLink visible for attendees
The event is for people to meet, discuss, share and help each other for Spiritual Growth, Cultivation and Network.
We know that we have body, mind and spirit. The body is tangible and will go through birth, sickness, aging, and death. It also has duality, there is men and women and it lives in the physical world. Mind is intangible, but still has duality. There are positive/negative thoughts. The spirit is intangible and beyond duality. Lao Tzu used Tao to refer to origin of creation and the pure spirit within each one of us. Buddha called the pure spirit as Buddha nature, meaning everyone can reach Buddhahood or enlightenment. It is referred to as the image of God in Bible and spirit of Allah in Koran. The more modern terms can be pure awareness or pure consciousness.
Even though there are different names, they all point to the same pure nature within us.
The analogy of sun and clouds is one of my favourites. The pure nature can be likened to the sun, which is always emitting light regardless of sunny days, cloudy days or stormy days. The vexations such as anger, resentment, greed, ignorance, attachment to fame, possessions...etc. can be liken to clouds that can temporarily obscure the light from the pure nature. However, once they are blown away, the light or wisdom from the pure nature will shine again.
The spiritual cultivation is the journey to awaken to the pure nature within us and how to blow away clouds of delusions to let the wisdom or light to flow from the pure nature without hindrance, which lead us to a life with joy, ease and love while living in this dualistic world.
We use Zen teachings as a starting point and are open to any other teachings, such as those from Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, Lao Tzu...etc. and life experiences and wisdom from within each one of us.We will use "Song of Testimony to Tao" by Great Master Yongjia, who met the sixth Patriarch and reached enlightenment on one night. Other teachings are welcome to share with each other during the study and discussion sessions.
We have done the translation ourselves to reflect the true meaning of the original text as accurately as possible.
We welcome any suggestions during the discussion.(Encountering the king’s feast while starving)
The online meeting link will be sent out on the day. Please message me if you RSVP but don't receive the link before the meeting.
Welcome to join us even if you haven't attended previous sessions as the discussion is quite flexible and any topic in previous texts can be discussed if needed.
If you use browser to open meeting URL, remember to allow access to your microphone and camera when asked.
Please mute your microphone if you're not speaking when there are background sounds to prevent them being introduced into the meeting.
Looking forward to see you all in the discussions.
Please see more details in below meetup groups and there are other events if you're interested.
- Vegetarian vegan cooking classKingswood, Kingswood
Welcome to join the cooking demonstration to learn and share how to prepare delicious vegetarian food.
The location is in Penrith area. Please send your mobile number via meetup message and any ingredient limitation of your diet to me when you RSVP.
The address will be sent in SMS to your phone before the event date.
The cooking can be flexible and you can suggest what you like to learn and we will see if we can provide it for you.
We will cook tofu dishes and a way to make a delicious sauces from a tree leaves this time.
The fee AUD 10 is to cover the cost for ingredients, ...etc.
Please see more details in below meetup groups and there are other events if you're interested.
- Tao Te Ching for Spiritual awakening and cultivationLink visible for attendees
The event is for people to meet, discuss, share and help each other for Spiritual Growth, Cultivation and Network.
We know that we have body, mind and spirit. The body is tangible and will go through birth, sickness, aging, and death. It also has duality, there is men and women and it lives in the physical world. Mind is intangible, but still has duality. There are positive/negative thoughts. The spirit is intangible and beyond duality. Lao Tzu used Tao to refer to origin of creation and the pure spirit within each one of us. Buddha called the pure spirit as Buddha nature, meaning everyone can reach Buddhahood or enlightenment. It is referred to as the image of God in Bible and spirit of Allah in Koran. The more modern terms can be pure awareness or pure consciousness.
Even though there are different names, they all point to the same pure nature within us.
The analogy of sun and clouds is one of my favourites. The pure nature can be likened to the sun, which is always emitting light regardless of sunny days, cloudy days or stormy days. The vexations such as anger, resentment, greed, ignorance, attachment to fame, possessions...etc. can be liken to clouds that can temporarily obscure the light from the pure nature. However, once they are blown away, the light or wisdom from the pure nature will shine again.
The spiritual cultivation is the journey to awaken to the pure nature within us and how to blow away clouds of delusions to let the wisdom or light to flow from the pure nature without hindrance, which lead us to a life with joy, ease and love while living in this dualistic world.
We use Tao Te Ching as a starting point and are open to any other teachings, such as those from Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, Lao Tzu...etc. and life experiences and wisdom from within each one of us.
Tao is the origin of creation and Tao is within each one of us too. It's the matter whether one can find it and following it instead of following desires and egotistic thoughts. If one can find it and use it in every moment, one unites with Tao, which is beyond life and death. There is also great wisdom in Tao that can be applied to solve vexations in life and help people elevate their spirituality.We have done the translation ourselves to reflect the true meaning of the original text as accurately as possible. We welcome any suggestions during the discussion.
Lao Tzu wrote Tao Te Ching about 2600 years ago. Amazingly, the wisdom revealed in it is great and profound and can be applied by people in modern days.
Welcome to join the online study group to study, discuss, understand and share realization and how to apply it in daily life.
After discussion, people can understand and apply the wisdom of Tao in life and resonate with the Tao within each one of us.We did the translation ourselves to reflects the true meaning of the original text. Welcome to provide any suggestion during the discussion.
The online meeting link will be sent out on the day. Please message me if you RSVP but don't receive the link before the meeting.
Welcome to join us even if you haven't attended previous sessions as the discussion is quite flexible and any topic in previous texts can be discussed if needed.
Welcome to join us in person if you live in Sydney. The meeting URL will be sent via meetup message before the meeting. Please message me if you don't receive it.
If you use browser to open meeting URL, remember to allow access to your microphone and camera when asked.
Please mute your microphone if you're not speaking when there are background sounds to prevent them being introduced into the meeting.Looking forward to see you all in the discussion meeting.
- Tai Chi and Qiqong exercise in Flinders Slopes, Georges Hall, NSW (Free)Seven Peacekeepers Monument, Georges Hall
Enjoy the gentle exercise of Tai Chi, which can bring peace, health to your body, mind and spirit.
We meet near Seven Peacekeepers Monument,
You can find location below.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EYBuSYAzo9dFuBpq9
Please see more details in below meetup groups and there are other events if you're interested.
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/tao-te-ching/
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/vegetarian-vegan/
