Sitting and Walking in the Here and Now

Summary

This talk, delivered at Deer Park Monastery during a winter retreat on January 11, 2004, focuses on the practical discipline of mindfulness as a way of living the Pure Land and the Kingdom of God in the present moment. The speaker emphasizes that meditation does not begin only when one reaches the meditation hall; it begins as soon as the bell is invited. Walking from the hamlet to the hall is presented as part of the practice itself, and the path is described as an extension of the meditation hall. Participants are urged to walk slowly, peacefully, and without talking, treating each step as an expression of joy, solidity, and freedom. A major theme is the importance of monastic discipline and collective responsibility. The speaker explains that the bell should be invited half an hour before sitting meditation, allowing time for walking meditation before and after the formal sitting and chanting period. The monastic regulation is strict: one must arrive before the bell, and once the hall is closed, latecomers may not enter. This discipline is not framed as punishment but as a way to protect the quality of practice for everyone. Dharma teachers, assistants, and all community members are asked to help newcomers understand and follow the regulations. The speaker even uses humorous exaggeration about a wooden sword, called a “sword of compassion,” to illustrate the seriousness of protecting the practice space. The talk repeatedly returns to the idea that practice should be enjoyable rather than burdensome. Walking, sitting, chanting, brushing teeth, and even urinating are all presented as opportunities to generate mindfulness and happiness. The speaker insists that practice is not hard labor and should not be done for the future as if saving money in a bank account. Instead, every breath and every step should be an act of enlightenment in the present. The famous teaching that “there is no way to the Pure Land; the Pure Land is the way” is echoed throughout the talk, along with the parallel claim that happiness and enlightenment are not destinations but lived realities. Another central thread is the relationship between the individual and the Sangha. The speaker teaches that one should not sit or walk as an isolated island but should allow the collective energy of the Sangha to support, heal, and transform oneself. The Sangha is compared to a boat or a flock of birds carrying the practitioner. This communal dimension extends to the broader task of “Pure Land building” and “practice center building,” in which each person’s mindful behavior contributes to creating a refuge for others. The speaker stresses that even those who stay only briefly can make a meaningful contribution by practicing well and helping others do the same. The talk also addresses death, rebirth, and the nature of the present moment. In response to a reporter’s question about what happens after death, the speaker redirects attention to what is happening right now. The present moment is described as a moment of dying and being reborn, and understanding this directly makes the question of death less urgent. The speaker argues that people often waste the present by chasing fame, power, profit, and sex, or by worrying about the future and regretting the past. In contrast, mindfulness reveals that one is a continuation of ancestors, who are present in every cell of the body. By stopping, breathing, and being fully present, one can free not only oneself but also one’s ancestors. The talk bridges Buddhist and Christian language, insisting that the Kingdom of God and the Pure Land are not future rewards but realities available here and now. The speaker references Christian gatherings in Germany, the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, and the Dalai Lama, arguing that religious traditions should offer concrete practices that help people touch the sacred in daily life. The same point is made for Buddhists who imagine the Pure Land only after death. The speaker insists that the true home is the present moment, and that one can live in the Kingdom, the Pure Land, or Nirvana through mindful practice. The natural world and the monastery’s ecological ethic also appear prominently. The speaker mentions coyotes, bobcats, rabbits, trees, and a snake, using these examples to show that the monastery is a shared habitat where humans practice non-harming and respect for the environment. A story about a snake near the speaker’s hammock becomes a symbol of peaceful coexistence and gratitude from the natural world. Overall, the talk presents mindfulness as a way to build peace, protect community, honor ancestors, and realize freedom in ordinary life through every step, breath, and action.