Prajna Forest Monastery Visits Redwood Vihara
【Prajna Dharma News · Report from Redwood Vihara, Boulder Creek, CA】
On August 23, 2025,
Ven. Jian Hu, the abbot of
Prajna Forest Monastery (般若禪林), made a visit to
Redwood Vihara (紅木禪林) and participated in its Community Open House event. The two Chan monasteries are separated by only fifteen minutes' drive. This mutual visit deepened their Dharma friendship and brought a spiritual feast to the practitioners of both communities.
It was a joyful coincidence that
Rev. Heng Sure, the abbot of Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (柏克萊佛寺) , was present that day to give guidance to Redwood Vihara (both are branches of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas). Ven. Jian Hu and Rev. Heng Sure have known each other for over twenty years, their deep friendship dating back to the founding period of Buddha Gate Monastery (佛門寺). Reunited after several years, both venerable masters were especially joyful.
Ven. Jin Chuan (近傳法師), the abbot of Redwood Vihara, met Ven. Jian Hu over ten years ago when Ven. Jin Chuan was studying at Stanford University before entering the monastic life. Recently, Ven. Jin Chuan and Ven. Jin Wei (近威法師) from Poland had just visited Prajna Forest Monastery a few weeks ago.
The event, attended by four venerable masters and over sixty Western and Chinese lay practitioners, kicked off with Rev. Heng Sure singing an English version of the "Praise the Buddha Jewel" to the tune of “Amazing Grace” while playing the guitar.
After the noon meal, Ven. Jian Hu was invited to give a short Dharma talk. He used three everyday stories and one Ch'an patriarch's koan to explain the principles of emptiness (空性) and the power of the mind in a profound yet easy-to-understand manner.
Before the event concluded, a guqin master (古琴家) make her musical offering to the sangha—playing "Remembering an Old Friend" (憶故人), whose forest imagery perfectly matched this gathering of Dharma friends amidst the beautiful redwood forest setting.The guqin is a Chinese musical instrument dating back over three thousand years. Jian Hu Shifu called it "the music closest to Ch'an meditation".
Summary of Ven. Jian Hu’s Talk: The Power of Mind
Ven. Jian Hu began by characterizing the Buddha as a "scientist of the mind", who discovered the fundamental principles and cause-and-effect laws related to happiness, pain, and suffering. Identifying and removing the causes of suffering is a scientific principle for achieving freedom.
He used three seemingly unrelated stories to illustrate the connection between pressure, challenges, and personal growth:
1.
The Dentist’s Reminder:
The dentist advised against only chewing on one side because the unused side, lacking exercise, would be prone to cavities.
2.
The Disciple’s Question:
A lay practitioner asked if one inherits bad karma from ancestors and how to stop it.
3.
The Child’s Pet:
A young girl was sad because her cat had passed away.
The Key Insight (Turning Challenges into Strength): Ven. Jian Hu connected these stories to teach that pressure, challenges, or perceived "bad karma" are the necessary catalysts that enable us to grow and become strong. Just as muscles need pressure (like using dumbbells) or teeth need chewing exercise, the difficulties of life serve to temper us, allowing us to turn failure into a stepping stone for success.
The Principle of Emptiness: From a Buddhist perspective, understanding challenges requires insight into the nature of emptiness. Emptiness does not mean non-existence, but rather that things lack an eternal, unchanging self-nature; they are conditioned by circumstances. Because all things (including suffering, joy, and even bad karma) are conditioned and impermanent, "
we can change anything if we do it according to the right conditions". For instance, recognizing the impermanence of the cat (無常) allowed the child to understand that sadness is temporary ("sadness is empty") and handle future loss better.
The Power of Mind and True Treasure: Ven. Jian Hu used the story of Bodhidharma and the pearl to emphasize that true treasure comes from within. The value of external objects, such as a perfect pearl, is not intrinsic but is determined by your mind. To the oyster, the pearl is a "tumor" or "pain in the shell," possessing negative value. Therefore, wisdom and insight (which "lights up the world") are the most precious treasures. This wisdom is synonymous with Right Understanding (正見), the first component of the Noble Eightfold Path, which means seeing the world as it is and working with causality.
Real Happiness and Stillness: Real, lasting happiness is not derived from external, impermanent things (like wealth or partners). Instead, it is found internally, rooted in stillness. When the mind reaches profound stillness through Ch'an meditation, it produces an "incredible feeling of serenity" and ultimately leads to the "ultimate happiness" of Nirvana.
Conclusion
Ven. Jian Hu concluded by saying that the Buddha’s wisdom originates from the ancient East. The monastics and lay practitioners present today largely possess growth experiences and educational backgrounds that fuse East and West. This exchange and integration provides the opportunity to absorb the essence of both cultures and develop new perspectives. Specifically, Eastern philosophy is the medicine for the troubles and dilemmas facing the current world. The Buddha’s wisdom is more relevant in today’s world than ever before.
