Imagine settling into a quiet space and turning the mind toward the vast web of existence itself—this is the heart of Huayan’s most distinctive contemplations. At the center lies the “Fourfold Dharmadhātu” meditation, a step-by-step journey through:

1. The Realm of Phenomena (Shi): observing each object or thought on its own.
2. Phenomena in Mutual Relation (Li-Shi): noticing how any one thing ripples into another.
3. The Interpenetration of All Phenomena (Li): dwelling on that brilliant sense that every particle reflects the whole.
4. The Interpenetration of All Phenomena in All Phenomena (Li-Li): realizing that each facet of reality contains every other facet, infinitely and simultaneously—think of Indra’s Net, where every jewel mirrors every other jewel, ad infinitum.

Alongside this, Huayan practitioners often cultivate the “Sutra-Recitation with Vision,” chanting key passages of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra while visualizing themselves at the center of a cosmic palace of Buddhas. As each verse rises and falls, petals of light bloom, signifying the opening of insight into the boundless Dharmadhātu.

Another gem in their contemplative toolkit is the “Universal Samādhi,” sometimes called the “Huayan Samādhi.” Rather than settling on a single breath or mantra, the meditator’s attention holds the entire field of awareness—mind, body, surroundings—without drawing boundaries. This practice surfaced strongly in 7th-century Chang’an, as scholars like Fazang wove philosophy and close-templating into daily sitting.

A playful but profound exercise often taught in modern Kegon temples (Huayan’s Japanese branch) invites meditators to picture themselves tossing a pebble into a still pond—and then, in that rippling water, seeing every other pebble, ripple, insect, and cloud simultaneously. It’s a direct, almost cinematic way to embody interdependence.

In today’s world, where everything seems siloed—newsfeeds separate from relationships, work from wonder—there’s something magnetic about these Huayan meditations. They whisper that no experience stands alone: each thought, each encounter, is a flash of the entire universe. And when practiced consistently, the crisp space between “self” and “other” begins to dissolve, revealing a luminous sky of mutual belonging.