Dimensions of the Infinite
Carved over a span of ninety years through the dedication of three successive abbots,
71m-tall Grand Buddha of Leshan stands in silent majesty.
To travel is to see that in the world’s most populous country, China, there constantly arise and endure monumental works requiring vast mobilizations of human effort. The Chinese people seem to hold little affinity for the small; their boundless homeland and diverse populace call for grand edifices to serve them. From ancient times, the vow, “Though sentient beings are innumerable, I vow to deliver them all,” has served as the ideal archetype for practicing the Bodhisattva path. Today, beholding these masterpiece structures of magnificent scale deepens our conviction in the ancient sages’ profound aspiration to serve all living beings. Compassion, Wisdom, and Courage are the core pillars that a Buddhist practitioner must cultivate on the transformative journey from ordinary to holy. True compassion, anchored in the foundation of wisdom, has the opportunity to manifest as beneficial action for others through the spirit of “the unity of knowledge and action”—where correct perception naturally begets righteous and beneficial conduct.
500 life-sized Arhats at Ho Quoc Vannien Temple
Transcending the Illusion of “Small and Large” on the Pilgrim’s Path
Great and small, high and low, form and emptiness are merely illusory designations agreed upon within conventional truth. The profound and miraculous essence is inherently contained within the attitude and actions of our everyday, bustling reality. From this, we realize that “small” and “large” are merely worldly words born of common human perception and understanding. Within a small cart lie extremely grand details, just as a great carriage is formed from the tiniest parts. People harbor notions of small and large, dividing things into northern and southern differences, yet the Dharma knows no “one” or “two”—it is purely, truly non-dual.
Returning to the Present Moment Amidst a Foreign Zen Sanctuary
The Tao is the truth that illuminates every single present moment through the contemplation of body, feelings, mind, and dharmas right here and now. Why bother worrying whether last year’s peach blossoms bloomed or not? Standing before the magnificent Great Buddha, one suddenly hears the resounding shout of Zen Master Rinzai (Linji), awakening the entire mountain forest into spring after its long winter slumber.
Every step of pilgrimage through these ancestral lands and the contemplation of majestic outer scales are not merely for outward veneration, but serve as a precious opportunity to turn inward, examine the mind, and let go of all distinctions between ordinary and holy. Ultimately, that journey brings us back to inner stillness and wakefulness amidst the ordinary flow of life. Between vast heaven and earth, the pilgrim suddenly realizes that the Dharma has never been distant, but always fully manifests in every single breath and every simple moment of daily life, leaving the heart smiling peacefully and walking back into natural serenity.
Jiangnan – Guoqing Temple, First Chan Monastery of the Chan School – Ningbo, April 24, 2026
“Bình thường như lá vẫn rơi
Bình thường như cánh chim trời vẫn bay
Bình thường vạn pháp đổi thay
Bình thường như Đạo xưa nay vẫn là”
(Poem by Master Viên Minh)
