About Bodhi&Bass

Bodhi&Bass:

fearless

Bodhi&Bass is a virtual Zen Hermitage, a branch of the Dharma Winds Zen Sangha, part of the Zen Buddhist Order of HsuYun. Our lineage is dedicated to the practice and dissemination of traditional Chinese Zen (Chan) in a secular, modern way. The Hermitage also serves as an Affiliate of the Cosmos Chan Community.

The question which brought Bodhi&Bass into existence was: “How do we fully and authentically embody the truths that we’ve learnt on the spiritual path in everyday life?”. And so, Bodhi&Bass was created as a place to explore Buddhism, arts (every occupation is a kind of art) and the place where they intersect. As a Branch of the Dharma Winds Zen Sangha, the Hermitage offers a Buddhist Training Program (“Precepts Sangha Program”) for people interested in making a formal commitment and in deepening their Buddhist training.

All teaching in the Dharma Winds Zen Sangha is given freely. The Chan Priests in the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun are not monks but lay Dharma teachers who follow the five universal Buddhist Precepts and the 10(+48) precepts of the Mahayana as transmitted through the Brahma Net Sutra.

Rev. Mark ShenYun Gilenson:

I play bass. I study Buddhadharma. Those are surprisingly similar things.

me playing (2)

I have been practicing Buddhadharma since about 2008. Starting out in a Theravada context and learning from inspiring teachers, I then practiced Zen in both Korean and Vietnamese traditions, Vajrayana (Kagyu) Buddhism and now study and practice and in the lineage of Chan Buddhism (Linji Lineage of HsuYun), in which I am a Novice Priest and Junior Dharma Teacher. My highest aspiration and greatest inspiration is the actual pursuit of happiness – that means my own happiness coupled – inextricably – with that of all others.

Faded Wisdom

All things fruitful found on this site are all the kindness of countless teachers, who have been nothing but kind to me in pointing to the moon for my pitiful sake. All things poisonous, arrogant, stupid and unskillful found here, are all my own fault, born of beginningless greed, hatred and ignorance.

All merit accumulated through any positive action committed by my walking corpse, I give away fully. May it help all sentient beings in their complete and utter blowing-out.

Amituofo!