The Eight Realizations of Great Beings

Preface

Like many students of the Dharma, I ve noticed from time to time in my life of practice that certain sutras and their related teachings and practices will speak very strongly to me. If I try to ignore their call, it will seem as if their lessons are being placed right in front of me every time I turn around! Over the years, I ve learned to be attentive and listen, not only with my ears, but with my whole body and mind to the Dharma that wants to come forth and be heard. I ve learned to honor what s arising rather than dismiss it, since often the inspirations that I m quick to dismiss end up being the most transformative and important at that point in my life.

When I m struck by a sutra, a teaching, or a practice, I sit, eat, walk, and breathe with it as if it were a friend on the path. I do this for a period of time sometimes days or years allowing it to sink deeply into my mind-stream, using the lens of insight and the perspective that it provides as a framework to reflect on my own life and the world around me. In the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh the tradition to which I belong we emphasize practicing with the teachings in each moment of our daily lives, as well as during formal meditation sessions. Mindful of my teacher s guidance that every hour of study needs to be balanced with at least seven hours of practice, I begin my research.

Dear friend, every single time I ve allowed myself to practice with a sutra in this way, I have been profoundly surprised by the discoveries that have emerged.

About six years ago, I found my attention being strongly drawn toward the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of Great Beings. To date, it has been published in English by Parallax Press three times: in a small pamphlet by my teacher called The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of Great Beings, in the Plum Village chanting and recitation book Chanting from the Heart, and with commentary in the book Two Treasures. My

BROTHER PHAP HAI (Dharma Ocean) is a senior monastic disciple of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He ordained as a monk in 1997 and was formally authorized to teach in January 2003. Originally from Australia, he is an active meditation teacher who leads retreats, days of mindfulness, and talks throughout the western United States, Australia, South America. and Asia. Much loved for his warm, accessible, and humorous teaching style, Brother Phap Hai's charming blend of Dharma scholarship, sharp social awareness, and application of ancient wisdom to contemporary issues makes him one of the most compelling Buddhist teachers today.

"We are fortunate to have Brother Phap Hai as a guide a good spiritual friend. He embodies the characteristics of a Dharma teacher." from the foreword by Rebecca Li, PhD, dharma teacher in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen

"The Eight Realizations of Great Beings is the user manual for understanding how to navigate our lives in the continual churn of the pressure-packed, noisy, and often cruel modern world. Brother Phap Hai has made accessible  the ancient wisdom of Buddhism, shedding a bright light on the truth of our existence that we so easily overlook. Explored gradually and patiently in small measures, this book helps our mind move towards the enlightenment that is inherent in all things."
Les Kaye, abbot, Kannon Do Zen Center in Mountain View, California, and author of Zen at Work and A Sense of Something Greater

Brother Phap Hai invites the reader along on his own journey through the Eight Realizations of Great Beings from his initial resistance to the sutra s seeming simplicity to his discovery of its profound beauty. It is an invitation to keep exploring for a lifetime, to ground ourselves in ordinary truths, to allow ourselves to wake up to something new.   Tracy Franz, Lion's Roar magazine and author of My Year of Dirt and Water: The Journal of a Zen Monk s Wife in Japan

"Brother Phap's authorship and stories make this sutra's relevance alive for this moment in history. His heart at the center of the work shines with the brilliance of practice and study well lived and well shared. A must-read for practitioners and scholars alike." Larry Ward, PhD, author of America's Racial Karma

"Thich Nhat Hanh loved the Eight Realizations of Great Beings. Brother Phap Hai has been living these teachings and his deep practice is evident in his reflections and insights. I appreciate his use of story and of humor; this to me is a sign of a great teacher." Peggy Rowe Ward, author of Love's Garden

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