Takuan Sōhō (沢庵 宗彭) was one of the notable Japanese Zen monks in the 17th century. While he did not care about his socio-political status, his relationships with the sword-masters made him inevitably famous. He was also well-known as Miyamoto Musashi’s mentor. What made him mainly famous was a series of letters he wrote for … Continue reading The Sword Taia
Tag: #Zen
The Flower Sermon
In history, the Buddha delivered so many words for wisdom. His students recorded them as a volume of countless sutras. They spent their entire lives reading and studying these precious, voluminous sutras. Even in his days, the Buddha’s words were invaluable. Whenever he delivered his sermons, his disciples were so eager to listen to them … Continue reading The Flower Sermon
Moon on the Water
Zen Mater, Dōgen (1200-1253) once said: Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water. The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken.Dōgen (道元) It is one of the well-known koans (公案) that we could reflect on in our meditation. Sitting nearby a lake in the middle of the night under the … Continue reading Moon on the Water
Zen Minimalism
Among various Buddhism teachings, Zen is quite minimalistic. It tries to return to the source, which is not necessarily fundamental but uniquely radical. Traditionally, Bodhidharma, an Indian Buddhist monk, transmitted Zen (Chan) teachings to China during the fifth or sixth century. He is known as Daruma (達磨) in Japan with this popularized doll. His way … Continue reading Zen Minimalism
Like Water, Like a Rock
The Noble Eightfold Path can be divided into three divisions. The first division covers the right view and right resolve, which could be how we see the world and ourselves. The second is for the right speech, right action, and right livelihood, which could be our applications for ethical virtues. And the third is for … Continue reading Like Water, Like a Rock
True Obedience
Once Meister Eckhart was asked: What should we do and where should we go to seek peace and God? Are there any practices? It seems there are a lot. His answer, however, was "No!" I was once asked: 'Some people like to withdraw from company and prefer always to be alone. That is where they … Continue reading True Obedience
The Ten Oxherding Pictures
Zen Buddhism describes the stages for the Enlightenment through ten images with commentaries, called Ten Oxherding Pictures (十牛図). Inspiring many artists throughout Buddism traditions, there are various versions of the pictures. The key theme is the relationship between an oxherd and his ox or bull (In the titles we use “bull” and in the description, … Continue reading The Ten Oxherding Pictures
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