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
Zen Stories
Grinding a Brick into a Mirror: When Someone Told Mazu Daoyi That Sitting Won't Make You a Buddha
A young monk sat in meditation every day. An old monk sat next to him, grinding a brick. If grinding can't make a mirror, can sitting make a Buddha? This Tang Dynasty story made me wonder—am I grinding bricks too?
5/26/202610 min
Be Still
Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice
4/8/20265 min
Be Still
Meditation: Ten Minutes of Soul Cleansing Daily
Ten minutes of meditation daily can purify the soul. In stillness, we find our true selves.
4/7/20267 min
Daily Life
7-Day Beginner Meditation Guide
Never tried meditation? This 7-day guide takes you from zero to establishing a daily meditation habit. Each day has specific instructions to help you begin your inner journey.
4/7/202615 min
Be Still
Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice
# Meditation for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice > "Meditation is not about emptying the mind, but learning to make peace with your thoughts." In our fast-paced modern world,
4/7/202615 min
Insights
Thich Nhat Hanh: The Art of Mindful Living
Thich Nhat Hanh brought Zen practice to the West, teaching mindfulness in the simplest ways. He showed us: every moment can be meditation, every step can lead to peace.
4/7/202618 min
Insights
Ye Man on Meditation: Finding Inner Peace in the Busy World
Ye Man discusses Chan meditation and life: how to cultivate in busy modern life, how to face troubles, and how to find true inner peace.
7/3/202416 min
What I See
Incense Culture Deep Dive: From Neuroscience to Spiritual Cultivation
Modern neuroscience research finds that incense meditation can significantly change brain activity. This article explores the mechanisms of how incense affects body and mind.
6/10/202412 min