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Welcome to the Compassionate Ocean Sangha

We are an online mindfulness community in the Plum Village Tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh that is facilitated by lay and Monastic Dharma Teachers.​​​

©2020 by Compassionate Ocean Sangha. Proudly created with Wix.com

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Saturday, 3rd October, 8pm AEST 
Saturday Sangha Whole Group Sharing

Dear COS Family.

"Whoever can see this, No longer needs anything to attain”.

​Dipika, Adam and Judy joyfully welcome you to join us this Saturday 3 October as we practice with the third Door of Liberation - Aimlessness.

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Have you ever watched a child at play on a beach, on a sand dune, at the edge of rock pool? Your own child? Someone else’s?

Such complete absorption. Such curiosity. Such joy. Such a sense of wonder. No plans. All the time in the world, as the wonders of life unfold, moment to moment. Doing so much, learning so much, while ‘doing nothing’.

The essence, perhaps of ‘beginner’s mind’? And a beautiful example of ‘aimlessness’. Something that we can forget in the busyness of life, our goals, our plans, our ideas about happiness, even the sense of striving that can come into our practice itself. Forgetting the wonderful koan of Master Linji that, in reality, ‘There is nothing to attain’.

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As Thay Phap Luu reminds us in his wonderful talk (link below), aimlessness is not a concept, not another piece of knowledge about the Dharma to acquire. It is above all a practice of letting go of grasping, of being with the wonder of what is, moment to moment. Of knowing deeply that we are already enough, that we already have enough. This is the path of true freedom, of Nirvana. But we can only realise this when we stop running.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oBdWS7etvg

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Our reflection and question for whole sangha sharing is: Enlightenment is already there inside you. The things we run after we already have. Have I ever been aware of enlightenment in me? During what moments have I experienced this?

There will also be a beautiful guided meditation on the practice of aimlessness​

We hope you can join us

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Our theme for October 2026 is:
The Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

Understanding the Sutra: Verse 8
Whoever can see this
No longer needs anything to attain.

​​Understanding the Sutra: Verse 9:
Bodhisattvas who practice
The Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
See no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there are no more obstacles in their mind
They can overcome all fear
Destroy all wrong perceptions
And realize Perfect Nirvana.

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