Zen Stories
Who Tied You Up
This morning, while wiping my mala beads, a phrase suddenly surfaced in my mind. "Who tied you up?" Four words. Strange to say, but they floated up fr
6/3/20266 min
Writings
What Ru Shi Writes
Whatever comes to mind. Sometimes a story I read, sometimes something that came to me while holding my mala beads.
Recent
Buddhist Notes
The Man Who Was Always Laughing: The Story of Budai Monk
Behind that chubby, big-bellied, grinning Buddha at the temple entrance, there was a real person — a monk who carried a cloth bag and spent his life smiling. This is his story.
6/2/202610 min
Zen Stories
Su Dongpo and Foyin: Eight Winds Cannot Move Me, One Fart Crosses the River
Su Dongpo thought he was enlightened and wrote a poem declaring "the eight winds cannot move me." Foyin replied with two words: "Bullshit." He immediately crossed the river to confront his friend. This ancient story feels like it's about me.
6/1/20268 min
All Writings
Buddhist Notes
The Burning House Parable: A Story of Fire That Reveals the Truth of Life
The most famous parable from the Lotus Sutra—a burning mansion, children oblivious to danger, and a father who uses skillful means to save them. This 2,500-year-old story reveals the nature of our delusion in the Three Realms and the path toward liberation.
4/20/202612 min
Buddhist Notes
The Noble Eightfold Path: Eight Steps to Liberation
The Noble Eightfold Path is the Buddha's prescription for liberation, consisting of eight dimensions across wisdom, ethics, and concentration. This article explains each aspect and how to practice them in modern life.
4/9/202610 min
Buddhist Notes
Nirvana is Not Death: The True Meaning of Liberation
Nirvana is not death or nothingness, but a state of freedom after the cessation of afflictions. This article clarifies common misconceptions, explains Nirvana with and without remainder, and how to experience Nirvana in daily life.
4/9/202610 min
Insights
Master Jing Kong on Buddhism: Pure Land Practice in Daily Life
Master Jing Kong's teachings: how to integrate Buddhism into daily life, how to practice Pure Land, and how to find true liberation in the world.
7/4/202417 min