Words on
the way of Zen
Reflections on practice, tradition, and the everyday path of Zen.
We, Too, Share in the Lotus Adornment of the Land of Bliss's Jeweled Pools
The surface of the pools in the Land of Bliss is covered with lotus flowers. These include the utpala—the blue lotus, the padma—the yellow lotus, the kumuda—the red lotus, and the pundarika—the white lotus. These are the lotuses of four ...
ReadAll Three Great Hurdles Are Settled for Us Within This Single Thought
Let us look at the Eleventh Vow, the Vow that Right Samadhi Will Definitely Lead to Nirvana: "If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land do not abide in the right samadhi group and do not ultimately reach nirvana, may ...
ReadWomen Who Wish to Become Noble Should Diligently Recite the Buddha's Name
There is a well-known story from the Buddha's time. When the Buddha was in the world, King Prasenajit had a consort called Lady Molili—perhaps you've heard of her. She later became one of Buddhism's great patrons.
ReadProvisions Appear at the Mere Thought of Them — This Truly Inspires Our Longing
Let’s turn to the Thirty-Eighth Vow. The Thirty-Eighth Vow is "The Vow That Wonderful Garments Appear Spontaneously on One's Body." These ‘wonderful garments’ are the kāṣāya, the monastic robe worn by bhikkhus. If, when I attain buddhaho...
ReadHow Do Our Inverted Appearances Arise?
How do our inverted appearances come about? “They arise only from causes and conditions, generated by inversion.” “Existence through causes and conditions” is karmic force; “generated by inversion” refers to the grasping and discriminati...
ReadThe Six Identities of Buddhahood: Identity in Name
If we want to walk the Bodhi path — steady and complete — the very first thing to do in what we call true practice is listen to the Mahāyāna teachings.
ReadThe Six Identities of Buddha: Partial Realization Buddha and Ultimate Buddha
Alright, let's look at the next one. We're now entering the sage stage, moving from the inner ordinary stage to the sage stage's Partial Realization Buddha. Please join your palms.
ReadWhen Karmic Obstacles Arise, Without Merit You Are Done For
When you're quietly cultivating merit day to day, no one knows about it—not even you. It only reveals itself when something happens. Take the cause and effect we just spoke of: when things are calm, you don't realize how precious merit i...
ReadWhen You Abandon the Mind of Seeking Gain, the Supreme Treasury of Jewels Is Opened
Right then, after Mahakashyapa had laid out a parable in prose, he turned to verse to make the same point: "Today, we have heard the Buddha's teaching." What does "today" point to? The Lotus Sutra assembly. Before the Lotus Sutra, the Bu...
ReadProfessor Lin Chong'an: A Study on the Divisions of Teaching during the Buddha's Time and the Compilation of the Āgama Sutras
Selected Papers on Buddhist Studies
ReadVen. Gang Xiao: The Mysteries of the Zhou Yi — Psychology, Chapter 3: The Free Association Method of Dream Analysis, Where the Benevolent See Benevolence and the Wise See Wisdom
The Free Association Method of Dream Analysis, Where the Benevolent See Benevolence and the Wise See Wisdom
ReadA Discerning Eye
Do koans have answers? Without a doubt, yes. Can koans be answered however you like or explained away casually? Without a doubt, no. Do koans have a single correct answer? No — there can be many correct ways to respond, but all of them s...
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