Have you ever thought about the fundamental questions of life and death? Where did we come from before we were born and where do we go after death? The Buddha said that our intrinsic nature is perfect and no different from that of a Buddha. Why is this not apparent to us? We address such questions when we investigate Chan.
We use the approach called huatou, literally “the head, or source, of words.” With this approach we may experience the mind as it is before words, thoughts or ideas arise. To use the huatou we ask ourselves a critical phrase, a question, over and over. We ask with a sincere desire to know, and this process can stabilize the mind to a point where thoughts cease. At this point a practitioner may go even deeper with a Master’s help – by pushing, shouting, tapping – and experience a state of mind where the answers to the fundamental questions become clearer. The huatou retreat is an inward investigative journey, a quest to know more about ourselves in order to discover our “true self.”
- The Leader: Chan Master Guoru
- The Supervisor: Guohan (Old Teacher Tsao)
- Time Keeper: Chan Teacher Changjen Fashi etc.
- Dates: Feb 17-23, 2013 (7 days, 6 nights)
- Place: Chan Grove, 198 Fuxing 3rd Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan
