Latest writings

When life brings challenges, what can you count on for support? Can you get relief from a good book, some sight-seeing, or visit a park? Do you need to "talk it out" or "numb it out"? Can some food or music do the trick or maybe a pill or two? Perhaps a massage too. Maybe what you need is really just one good thought - you need to think it through and make sense of it. Maybe your religion or personal philosophy of life…

One day Master asked the abbot, "How you understand the saying 'Missed by a hair-width, separated like Heaven and Earth'?" The abbot said, "Missed by a hair-width, separated like Heaven and Earth." Master: "How can you attain enlightenment with this kind of understanding?" Abbot: "Then how do you Master understand it?" Master: "Missed by a hair-width, separated like Heaven and Earth." Abbot makes a bow. ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶…

  Student: Master, What is Zen? Master: Do you know where the wind comes from? If you know that means you are awakened. If you do not know,  try the south…

We're in the process of editing the Master's next book, The Origin Is Pure, in English. It's a fascinating process; every time I work on it, I learn something new about the Master's teaching--which I would expect--and the editorial process also gives me new understanding--which is like bonus enlightenment.…

Every difficult situation always leads you to a single thought that you cannot go beyond. "I can't do this." "There is not enough time." "He is so controlling." "I have to ....." " I can't..... " "I should..... shouldn't......" "It's impossible to ...." "I don't care....." "Why can't he understand?" "People are just lazy.".... Whatever the thought is, it is like a gate keeper. No matter what you try, you will always come…