By Jifu Devyani Sadh
Reading the year-end messages from our teachers, I found myself reflecting on the concept of entanglement. In quantum physics, “entanglement” refers to a phenomenon where particles become linked and inextricably connected even when separated by large distances.
Similarly, within our Sangha, we are bound by invisible threads of interdependence and shared intention. Students meet Dharma teachers when the time is right. Often from vastly different paths, Sangha members find each other through practice. Places of practice emerge to cement these connections.
Entanglement is not merely being caught in the web of life; it is the realization that this web is the very fabric of existence. Every action, thought, and breath reverberates outward, touching lives in ways we may never know. This is the heart of pratītyasamutpāda, or dependent origination, and it invites us to embrace the entirety of our being, knowing that our practice resonates through the whole.
In the first year-end message, Chigan Roshi affirms, “An essential step in our spiritual journey is to examine the workings of the two-dimensional mind and look deeply into the nature of duality.” Through zazen and the cultivation of stillness, we transcend the delusion of separation and awaken to the indivisibility of all existence.
In the next message on “interesting times,” Hokuto Osho invites us to find refuge in the example of the Buddha and the living Bodhisattvas among us, the teachings, and the community of like-minded practitioners, practicing for no other purpose than to find the wisdom, compassion, and joy that is everybody’s birthright.
Finally, Shinge Roshi reminds us that our intensive training and dedicated zazen can help us develop the open, attentive mind—the mind of radical acceptance that excludes no one and no situation. It’s an embrace in which we feel our utter unity.
At Dai Bosatsu Zendo, New York Zendo, and online, the Sangha thrives in this spirit of shared entanglement, offering a refuge for deepening practice and realizing our oneness with all beings.
As we step into the new year, let us honor these bonds. Your continued support—through practice, presence, and financial contributions—ensures that this shared refuge will flourish for generations to come.
Please give as generously as you can to sustain this precious community and the transformative teachings that arise from our shared entanglement.
