OPEN THE CHAN DHARMA GATES

                                            THE ORIGINAL AND COMPLETE FOUNT OF ZEN                                             

CHAN BUDDHA - DHARMA

      大菩提太虚 看 机禅林门

         Welcome to the Chan and Dao Seminary Teachings 

             I can say no more as a welcome than the great bard, who declared:

                                                    If we offend, it is with our good will. 

                                                    That you should think, we come not to offend, 

                                                    But with good will. To show our simple skill, 

                                                    That is the true beginning of our end.

                                                    Consider then we come but in despite. 

                                                    We do not come as minding to contest you, 

                                                    Our true intent is. All for your delight 

                                                    We are not here. That you should here repent you, 

                                                    The actors are at hand and by their sho

                                                    You shall know all that you are like to know.                                                                                        

                                                                                                              Shan jian

This text comes from A Midsummer Night's Dream. If you, like the arrogant nobles within this great work of Shakespeare, think that the simple mind without scholarship, because punctuation runs astray, or because there is no eloquence in what is said, has little to say and is ignorant, then you too are in their same boat, drowning within Samsara.  Let us examine this text as it comes from the "heart" of these people, in the play within the play, who are simple artizans.

"We do not mean to offend for we come with good will.

You should think that we come not to offend, but with good will to show simple skill.

This is the true beginning and our end. Consider that we come not in argument. 

We do not come in order to contest what you deem correct.

Our true intent is for your delight. We are not here so that you repent our presence

The actors are at hand and by their show you shall know all that you are able to learn."

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                  SO WE PRESENT OUR SIMPLE DHARMA SKILL AND THEREBY SHOW ALL THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO LEARN.

      THE DHARMA JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEPS