"To practice is to go beyond ideas,
so you can arrive at the 'suchness'
of things."

— Thich Nhat Hanh

"the heart of the buddha's teaching"

#zen #buddhism #suchness

The world of "suchness" is void and empty because it teases the mind out of thought, dumfounding the chatter of definition so that there is nothing left to be said. Yet it is obvious that we are not confronted with literal nothingness. It is true that, when pressed, every attempt to catch hold of our world leaves us empty-handed.

The Way of Zen (pg. 131)
— Alan Watts

#zen #buddhism #suchness
#alanwatts

#Zazen, the core of #Zen practice, is "just sitting" — a direct, non-conceptual #meditation emphasizing presence over attainment. Unlike other Buddhist paths, Zen centers #awakening in everyday life, not as a goal but as the realization of reality itself. Stillness reveals #suchness, #emptiness, and #NonDuality.

🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2025/2025-07-18-zazen/

#WeekendStories #Buddhism

#Zen #Buddhism's concept of #tathatā or #suchness expresses reality as it is — free from conceptual overlay. Interwoven with #emptiness (#śūnyatā), #DependentOrigination, and #interpenetration, suchness is not transcendence but direct, embodied encounter. This non-dual insight is central to #Mahāyāna thought.

🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2025/2025-07-15-suchness_as_reality/

#WeekendStories

"The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna" is a seminal East Asian Buddhist text, synthesizing Indian #Mahāyāna doctrines and #ChinesePhilosophy. Its teaching of the "#OneMind" with dual aspects — #suchness and arising-and-ceasing — offers a unique framework for reconciling emptiness and #BuddhaNature. Here, I sum up its origins, core teachings, and influence on East Asian Buddhism:

🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2025/2025-06-20-awakening_of_faith_in_the_mahayana/

#WeekendStories #Buddhism

#Tathatā, or "#suchness", is central in #Mahāyāna #Buddhism, denoting the direct, unmediated nature of reality beyond conceptualization and duality. It is not an essence but the immediate presence of phenomena, seen without judgment or projection. Realizing suchness is both ordinary and transformative in Buddhist practice.

🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2025/2025-06-01-tathata/

#WeekendStories

Interconnected: Releasing Our Attachment to Seperateness

Understanding how interconnected the Universe truly is allows us to release our attachment to the idea that we are separate from our experience. This realization fosters a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us, emphasizing the importance of relationships and shared experiences. As ideas, opinions, and views on life shift, this allows for growth and broadening perspectives. We learn and adapt with each new encounter and interaction, paving the way for transformation. New decisions and choices allow new neural pathways to develop, creating room for more growth and release of attachment. By embracing this fluidity, we cultivate resilience and an openness to change, ultimately enriching our lives and enhancing our overall well-being. Through this ongoing process of learning and evolving, we find that our sense of self is not fixed but rather a dynamic tapestry woven from the threads of our experiences and connections with others.

When we allow our identity to be determined by our views and opinions, and sometimes, even more so, by the expectations of others, we are hiding from our true selves. This ID-entity is an illusion.

This illusion causes the separation we feel from all of creation.

Releasing Separateness

We must learn to release our attachment to the idea that we are separate from our experience. When we embrace this understanding, we recognize that our existence is intricately intertwined with the fabric of reality. Along with everything else in the Universe, we flow from moment to moment and are a process of the Universe, constantly evolving and changing. Each thought, emotion, and experience contributes to the collective tapestry of life, reminding us that we are not isolated entities but integral parts of a grand cosmic dance. By letting go of our perceived separateness, we open ourselves to deeper connections with others and the world around us, allowing love, understanding, and compassion to thrive within our hearts.

Patterns of Existence

The Universe favors specific patterns (systems) that optimize flow, reflecting an inherent design that transcends chance. We see examples of this daily as our roadways resemble animals’ circulatory or nervous systems, demonstrating how interconnectedness facilitates movement and vitality. Similarly, the branches of trees fan out in a way that maximizes sunlight capture. At the same time, rivers and their tributaries illustrate natural paths forged by erosion and gravity, guiding water toward larger bodies. Even on a microscopic level, the similarity between atoms and solar systems highlights a cosmic repetition, where orbits and rotations allow energy to circulate. Within these systems or patterns, the flow of energy is optimized, creating a harmonious balance that fuels growth, movement, and life itself. This intricate interplay of patterns not only reflects the beauty of nature but also serves as an important reminder of how interconnected our world truly is, urging us to consider our own systems and how we might enable better flow within our lives and communities.

Flow

Briefly, let us think about the systems of our bodies—blood flows through veins, providing essential nutrients and oxygen to our cells, air flows through our lungs, facilitating the exchange of gases that sustains life, hormones flow throughout our bodies, regulating various functions, and thoughts flow continuously in our minds, shaping our perceptions and actions—EVERYTHING flows. Now let us think about the Earth: Rivers flow, carving landscapes and nourishing ecosystems, air flows across the globe, influencing weather patterns and climates, while rock and ice flow under immense pressure, reshaping the Earth’s surface over millennia. Nothing is static; everything is a flow, movement, and change process within a system (patterns) of energy, showcasing the interconnectedness of all things, from the minutest cells within us to the vast geological processes of our planet. This dynamic interplay reminds us of the importance of adaptability and resilience in the face of constant change.

Everything is energy. Life is an interplay of energetic systems, a beautiful dance. To experience the infinite, we must allow awareness of our dance with the Universe to blossom fully.

Listen to Suchness: a meditation for an enriching and transformative experience, exclusively available on Insight Timer! Discover the depths of your consciousness, or dive into the original blog post here for more insights and reflections.

Namaste.

#energy #experience #guidedMeditation #meditation #moksha #moments #nature #patterns #suchness #wildness #zen

Discover the interconnectedness of being. #suchness #meditation #mindfulness

https://dandeliondoorways.com/2023/06/17/suchness/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Mindful @mindful-Dandelion_19

@bodhidave Poet Allen Ginsberg pointed to a phrase of William Carlos Williams, who had been his mentor, "No ideas but in things." #buddhism #suchness

Why the name of Tathāgata? https://buddhismnow.com/2019/02/17/why-the-name-of-tathagata/

#Tathagata #Suchness

a heron flies by
(again)
#suchness of living in fruition:
metaphysical mangoes
(again)
✨🍋