Nagarjuna Cultural Center

Sunday:Pith Instructions and Teachings of Master Hanshan

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Master's Teachings (Los Angeles Time)

Fri Immeasurable Life Sutra Sat Master Hanshan

Senior Practitioners’ Teachings (Thailand Time)

Mon Eight Verses for Training the Mind Tue Treasury of Valid Cognition Wed Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way (Catuḥśataka) Thu The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra) Fri Ngöndro / Immeasurable Life (C)

Chinese New Year 2026 San Diego USA

March Spring Festival Chan Retreat in Nagarjuna Cultural Center's San Diego Retreat Center.

October 2025 Chiang Mai Thailand

October 2025 Meditation retreat，the main venue in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

August 2025 Chiang Mai Thailand

August 2025 Chiang Mai Thailand，on line meditation retreat.

Life Release

Under the leadership and inspiration of Venerable Master Yu Fan, NCC members have devoted many years to actively participating in life-release activities across the world.

Cognition and Expression Part Three

Why discuss these differences? As Buddhist disciples, our practice aims to pursue consciousness cognition. We need to understand what consciousness cognition truly entails.

Cognition and Expression Part Two

One prominent distinction between Eastern and Western philosophy lies in the approach to cognition: while Western philosophy relies on the senses, Eastern philosophy emphasizes the cessation of the senses for transcendent cognition.

Cognition and Expression Part One

Beyond logical arguments, Buddhists offer meditation as a powerful avenue for exploring the non-computational nature of cognition.

Buddhist Worldview and Modern Life

To understand the world around us, we rely on our worldview - how we perceive and make sense of things.

How to Define Renunciation ？

For the purposes of our current discussion, “renunciation” refers specifically to a mental attitude that seeks liberation and yearns to be free from the cycle of saṃsāra in the three realms.This is how renunciation is being defined here.

Why Are We Unable to Establish Stable Meditative Concentration? (Part 2)

Even those who seek worldly merit should not cling to such meaningless disputes—how much more so for those who seek liberation? The very purpose of Buddhist practice is to relinquish all that is clung to by the self, and ultimately to recognize that such self does not exist at all. Given this, why should we bother calculating and arguing over worldly interests?

Why is it so difficult for us to attain enlightenment?

Why was Hui Neng able to attain enlightenment by hearing "the mind should act without any attachments" twice? His spiritual capacity was sufficient. As practitioners, we should follow the path that Hui Neng demonstrated. However, why can't we attain enlightenment just by hearing the same line? The answer is straightforward - we lack the necessary capacity.

A Small Story, a Great Truth,Hold Profound Reverence for the Words “Bodhicitta”

So, although we must distinguish between conceptual bodhicitta and genuine bodhicitta, even if it is “fake,” even if it is merely conceptual bodhicitta (bodhicitta), as Mahāyāna practitioners we have to still hold profoundly deep reverence for the three words“bodhicitta.”

Modern Thinkers on Buddhism

All of this is something Buddhism is capable of accomplishing. We can discuss the fundamental nature of the world: Buddhism holds that the foundation of the world is emptiness, and moreover, that emptiness can be directly realized.

What is Alayavijnana?

It is a state where the six senses completely stop functioning during meditation, such that the eyes cannot see, the ears cannot hear, physical sensations fade away, and the smell and taste perceived by the nose and tongue disappear. Consciousness ceases to function, and this is known as the state of Alayavijnana.

What should we do when there is no Dharma joy in practice?

As for cultivating renunciation, there is no extraordinary secret—just do it again and again. As the saying goes, “If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas.” Through gradual accumulation, it leads to a profound result. One day, when renunciation becomes the dominant force in your mental continuum, everything will change, and your practice will begin to fall into place.

What is the right approach to practicing Buddhadharma?

To approach Buddhadharma safely and effectively, we should start by studying related texts and contemplating what we have learned from them. We can then deepen our understanding through meditative practice, both on the cushion and in daily life.