Segment 5 / the Right Understanding of Reality The Buddha asked Subhūti, “What do you think? Can Tathāgata be seen through physical form?” Subhūti replied, “No, World-Honored One. The Tathāgata cannot be seen through physical form. Why is this? When the Tathagata speaks of physical form, it is not the true form. The Buddha then explained to … Read more
If you don’t break through this “self”, the debts will follow you lifetime after lifetime It is a messy web——tangled,unclear, And you are just spinning in circles inside it.
Segment 4 / the Wondrous Practice of Non-Attachment The Buddha continued speaking to Venerable Subhūti “Moreover, Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should not attach to anything when practicing the Dharma. In the act of almsgiving, the Bodhisattva should not be attached to form, nor to sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects.” Subhūti, a Bodhisattva should practice almsgiving in this way, without attachment … Read more
Segment 3 / The True Doctrine of the Mahāyāna The Buddha said to Subhūti: “Bodhisattvas should subdue their minds in this way. All types of beings—whether born from eggs, from the womb, from moisture, or by transformation; whether possessing form or devoid of form; whether thoughtful or thoughtless, or neither thoughtful nor thoughtless—are all led by me … Read more
The Brother and the Pilgrimage to Mount Putuo Sure enough, before long the Master informed me that on such-and-such a day I should go to Mount Putuo — to stay there for more than twenty days, then return promptly. Receiving this notice, I had some concerns. First, going away for so long — my husband … Read more
Images, sounds, everything you see——it is all filtered through your own senses. Your mind is setting the stage. The people, the events… they are not the truth. They are just the “settings” of your own mind.
Segment 2 / The Request for Clarity At that time, Venerable Subhūti rose from his seat in the assembly, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and placed his palms together in reverence. He respectfully addressed the Buddha: “How rare, World-Honored One! The Tathāgata skillfully protects the right mindfulness of all Bodhisattvas，as well … Read more
If everything is empty, why practice? If there is no self, why endure? Because without endurance, you can never reach completion. First, you must endure to find stillness. Then, your joys and sorrows will be like autumn leaves falling from a tree—— Drifting down without shaking you.
Deepening Practice and Household Tensions (2of2) — The Limit of Endurance My cultivation remained diligent, yet my emotions were in terrible disarray, my inner balance often shattered. Sometimes I looked at the dear child, looked at this home, and thought: maybe I should just abandon the practice. Why lose everything I have for this? My … Read more
First Sitting and the Teacher’s Transmission (2of2) — Eight Days of Learning The next day friends visited all day and there was no time to sit. By past midnight the child and husband were both asleep. Though I was exhausted, my back and waist aching, I could not suppress the inner urge. By that point, … Read more