Since the inception of our self-consciousness, two fundamental desires have been controlling us. These are the desire to see, and the desire to be wise, with our eyes. In the Garden of Eden, two types of trees attracted us through these desires. One is the Tree of Knowledge, and the other is the Tree of … Continue reading The Tree of Life
Author: Tom
“A man is what he thinks about all day long.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) We are here in this world temporarily. How should we spend days here if not just for bread and butter? One modest attempt could be writing what we value on great minds and souls in sharing ideas with brevity. I hope this Blog could be one of such platforms.
Thereof One Must be Silent
There are Buddha's teachings on healthy skepticism. Since the days of the Buddha, people have quickly fallen into the so-called blind faith. That is far from the authentic faith derived from a humble realization of our cognitive limitations. At the moment in our lives, we would inevitably encounter the situation that we can't do anything … Continue reading Thereof One Must be Silent
Dark Night of the Soul
Nobody is free from the adversity of life. As long as we live in this world, various kinds of ups and downs are unavoidable. Consciously or unconsciously, we seek pleasures and avoid pains as if that is the default status in our lives. Sooner or later, however, we realize that pleasures are elusive, and pains … Continue reading Dark Night of the Soul
Corpse Meditation
In mediation, there are various approaches, methods, and traditions. During meditation, for example, we mindfully count our breathing. Or, we gently observe the subtle movements of our abdominals. Or else, we kindly notice every step of our behaviors. We also gaze at a candle flame or a visual symbol like a mandala or statue of … Continue reading Corpse Meditation
In Silence, We Pray
What is silence? Does it simply mean a lack of sound? If we don't hear anything with our ears, can we call it silence? Not necessarily so. In silence, we often hear various sounds, which are sometimes noisier. We even suffer from loud noises in silence. Why is that so? Because in the quiet place, … Continue reading In Silence, We Pray
We are Nobody and Anybody
Meditation is one of the oldest religious, spiritual, and metaphysical practices in human history. Since the birth of our self-consciousness, we have known our cognitive limitations. What we can know is so limited. There has been a vast dimension that we can never understand. Know thyself. That is one of the Delphic maxims. And our … Continue reading We are Nobody and Anybody
Contentions
From the early days of Christianity, there were already divisions and contentions. In the chapter 1 of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, we see such arguments. In his letter to the early church members in Corinth, Paul the Apostle expressed his concerns. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by … Continue reading Contentions
