The talk was recorded just a month ago. Sensei Lau began by reminding us that in a world becoming more chaotic and increasingly filled with hatred and delusion, our work as aspiring Bodhisattvas becomes even more important.
She then introduced the Diamond Sutra, a classic Mahayana Buddhist text that is especially important in the Chan/Zen tradition. She pointed out that the Sutra opens with Buddha doing mundane activities, showing us that practice isn’t just about deep theory—it’s grounded in our everyday lives. She explained the Sutra’s use of “antilogic” to explore emptiness, challenging four (erroneous) notions of: a separate self, our human identity, sentient beings, and lifespan/life-and-death.
The Sutra repeatedly uses this sentence structure: “What is called X is not really X, and therefore it is truly X.” This kind of antilogic approach can make one’s head spin; yet, it is very helpful, as our logical mind is very limiting. When we sit in meditation, for example, we cannot use logic to “solve” meditation. The Diamond Sutra is trying to loosen our attachment to the four notions, helping us realize we are not separate from others.
As aspiring Bodhisattvas who have generated bodhicitta (a mind that vows to help all beings alleviate suffering and achieve peace and freedom), we should examine our intention at all times. She shared her own experience: when she chose to attend medical school, her intention was to lead a meaningful life by serving others. And she did! But she realized later that even this noble intention had a thread of self-centeredness—the wish for personal meaning.
She introduced the concept of “near enemies” – e.g., a far enemy of compassion can be apathy, while a near enemy can be pity. It may look like compassion, but it’s not true selfless compassion. The teacher explained that near enemies can be very helpful in motivating our beneficial actions – they are skillful means. At the same time, we need to examine our assumptions and intentions over and over again, and work on giving rise to an intention with our mind not dwelling anywhere.
One helpful practice she offered was to start meditation by bringing up a specific person in our mind and making vows to practice for the alleviation of this person’s suffering. This makes our intention concrete and real.
Sensei Lau wrapped up by reminding us that the practice of wisdom and compassion must be grounded within our current social context. Just as fish learn from the water and birds learn from the sky, if we want to learn about healing, we need to understand suffering – the strong live in the storm without worshipping the storm.
During group discussion, members commented on what resonated most with them and how the talk linked well to the live Dharma talk on “Bodhicitta” by Venerable Thubten Lamsel that we just heard two weeks prior.
Scroll down to listen to Sensei Lau’s talk. Happy Learning!
From the Teachers Selfless Compassion + The Antilogic of the Diamond Sutra
Dharma Video:
Spin Cycle for the Logical Mind – by Sensei Wendy Dainin Lau*
To support Sensei Lau and her sangha, the Upaya Zen Center, visit: www.upaya.org/giving/
* Wendy Dainin Lau, MD, Sensei, is an Emergency Medicine and Addiction Medicine physician. She was ordained by Roshi Joan Halifax as a Zen priest in 2020, was given Hoshi by her in 2024, and received Dharma Transmission during the Winter Practice Period in January, 2025. She teaches Roshi Joan’s G.R.A.C.E. compassion process, as well as offering physicians methods to meditate, maintain equanimity, and thrive in the high-burnout environment of healthcare. She is also a co-director of Upaya’s Nomads Clinic, which provides indispensable treatments and services in remote, high-altitude villages of Himalayan Nepal. Her book, Inner Practice of Medicine, compiles the lessons that she has been gathering throughout her time as a doctor and teacher of doctors.”
Related Resources:
- An extract from the Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra), translation by Thich Nhat Hanh.
