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
Insights
The Amitabha Sutra: The Pure Land Is Not About the Afterlife — It Is the Direction of Your Heart Right Now
The Amitabha Sutra is the core text of Pure Land Buddhism, describing a realm free from suffering. But the Pure Land is not a destination after death — it is where your heart settles in this moment. When you recite the Buddha's name with a focused mind, you are already there.
4/10/202620 min
Insights
Master Sheng Yen: Building a Pure Land on Earth
Master Sheng Yen dedicated his life to building a Pure Land on Earth. He taught us: the Pure Land is not far away—it is in our hearts, in our daily lives.
4/7/202619 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