by Gwen Juvenal The phrase Namu Amida Butsu, or the nembutsu, is central to our practice at the Buddhist Fellowship. We translate it as “Come as you are.” This simple invitation holds immense depth. It encourages us to set down the weight of who we think we are, or who we must be, and rest in infinite…
Tag: Nembutsu
Face to Face Here And Now
By Kelly Branan When we say together, Namu Amida Butsu, we are not reciting a password. We’re not trying to pass some hidden test. We’re responding to an invitation—simple, yet profound: “Come as you are.” That’s it. No prerequisites. No spiritual résumé. No checklist of virtues. Just you, here, now, with all your baggage, all your…
Not knowing is the most intimate.
Not Knowing – I would like to start today’s Dharma talk with one of the most famous of the Zen Koans – Attention! Master Dizang asks Fayan,“Where have you come from?”Fayan replies, “I pilgrimage aimlessly,”“What is the purpose of your pilgrimage?” asks Dizang.“I don’t know,” replies Fayan.“Not knowing is the most intimate,” remarked Dizang.At…
Meaningless Meaning
“ A reporter from a local newspaper came to our house to interview my wife about the Japanese tea ceremony. This report continually asked, “What is the meaning? What for? Why do you do that? What is the purposes for that?” This kind of question was directed at everything in the making tea – at…
Everyday Nembutsu 