Practice
312 articles in category.
A Brief Introduction to Master Shenxiu
Master Shenxiu was born in 605 and died in 706, living to the remarkable age of 102 — thirty-five years older than Master Huineng. According to historical records, he studied the classics and histories in his youth before leaving home li...
ReadBuddhism Does Not Urge Everyone to Renounce Love and Enter Monastic Life
Buddhism doesn’t universally urge people to renounce love and enter monastic life, nor does it dismiss romantic love and marriage outright. The Buddha teaches this clearly in the Sutra of the Good Person (Sigalovada Sutta), explaining th...
ReadFor Practitioners of the Buddhist Dharma, First Establish Unwavering Resolve
With genuine, steadfast resolve, the power of the Way grows strong all on its own. This holds true for everyone, regardless of gender: for those who practice the great Chan Dharma, and for anyone walking the Buddhist path, the first and ...
ReadBuddhist Practice Turns on Awakening
The whole point of Buddhist practice is whether you awaken or not. Awaken, and you're a Buddha. Don't, and you're an ordinary person.
ReadZen Practice Encompasses the Entire Dharma
When a practitioner deeply understands the essence and methods of meditative concentration, the entirety of the Dharma naturally reveals itself.
ReadBecoming the Self Only You Can Be
Chan Master Nanyue Huairang had a disciple named Mazu. While staying at Prajna Temple, Mazu spent his days sitting in cross-legged meditation, lost in deep thought. Master Huairang eventually approached him and asked, "What are you hopin...
ReadWhich Path Leads Out of the Mountains? Follow the Stream
After hearing Mazu Daoyi's teaching that "this very mind is Buddha," the monk Damei (752–839) awakened and withdrew into the wilderness. He built himself a simple grass hut right there on the mountain trail.
ReadIt Is None of My Concern
Master Yangshan Huiji asked Master Weishan Lingyou, “When a hundred thousand, a million phenomena arise all at once, what should be done?” “Blue is not yellow, long is not short,” said Weishan. “All dharmas abide in their own places; it ...
ReadThe Buddha's Afflictions
A devotee asked Chan Master Zhaozhou Congshen, "Does the Buddha have afflictions?"
ReadThe Way to Navigate the World
The Grand Academician Huang Shan Gu once heard that Chan Master Zuxin was always calm, unruffled, and completely at ease no matter the situation. So he traveled to visit the master in person to ask for his guidance on this so-called “way...
ReadNo Words for It
Chan Master Shitou Xiqian asked the lay practitioner Pang Yun, “Since you first came to see this old monk, how have you been tending to your daily practice?”
ReadTrue Contentment Is Not Settling for Meager Gains
True contentment is not settling for meager gains. It is the understanding that when you find yourself in wholesome karmic conditions, you apply steady, sincere effort to settle your mind and walk the path of practice. It is not settling...
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