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Bǎo Níngyǒng Chán Master’s Cautionary Text For Reading Sūtras 保宁勇禅师看经警文
Apr. 7 | 用心来看经。 看经即看心。 Use the mind to see the sūtras. To see the sūtras is to see the mind. — Shilashanti That method of reading sūtras, that younger students must know, is that they should purify their Three Karmas. If the Three...
Introduction To ‘The Three Great Essentials When Approaching Death’《临终三大要》序文
Mar. 10 | To prepare to depart well,is to prepare to dwell well.To prepare to die well,is to prepare to live well.— Shilashanti In this world, the most tragic, with nothing more so, is death. Moreover, of everyone throughout this world, no one is able...
Live Without Cold Spots
Mar. 3 | 镬汤无冷处。The cauldron’s soupis without cold spots.— Zen Saying If you are living as fully a you can, you will have no time to be bored [or unhappy]. There is not a single drop of cold water in a pot of boiling water. It is said...
Everything In The Right Places
Feb. 24 | 好雪片片，不落别处。— 庞云居士Good snow!Flake by flake,they do not fall on other places.— Layperson Páng Yún Do not be afraid. Live while accepting everything [as they are, so that they can be bettered if possible]. Snowflakes...
Even Great Bodhisattvas And Patriarchs Seek Birth In Pure Land
Feb. 17 | [I]f you wish to rescue deluded, suffering sentient beings, you should first seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Only after you have achieved Tolerance of Non-Birth should you return to the sea of birth and death to fulfill your original vows.—...
Universal Virtue’s Practices’ And Vows’ Chapter’s Verses Related To Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land 与阿弥陀佛净土相关的《普贤行愿品偈颂》
Feb. 10 | 尔时普贤菩萨摩诃萨，欲重宣此义，普观十方而说偈言：… At that time, Universal Virtue [Samantabhadra] Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, desiring to repeat proclamation of this meaning, universally contemplated the ten directions...
The Danger Of Arrogance Vs The Power Of Repentance
Feb. 3 | 忏悔文我昔所造诸恶业，皆由无始贪嗔痴，从身语意之所生，一切我今皆忏悔。— 普贤菩萨《普贤菩萨行愿品》Verse For RepentanceFrom my past, those created all evil karmas,all due to beginningless greed, hatred...
Go For That Easy To Get, Use And Keep
Jan. 26 | Wealth is able to buy the pleasures of eating,drinking and other sensual pursuits –yet can never afforda cheerful spirit or freedom from sorrow.— Musonius Rufus [From ‘On Furnishings’]: In general, one would rightly judge what...
Why Choose Sickness Over Indulgence?
Dec. 30 | How much better is itto be known fordoing well by manythan for living extravagantly?— Musonius Rufus [From ‘On Furnishings’]: I would choose sickness rather than luxury, for sickness harms only the body, but luxury destroys...
It Is Easier To Be Born In Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land
Nov. 11 | I prostrate to Amitabha, leader of humans and gods.Through compassion you always see each migrator as your own child.Remembering you just once leaves fear of the Lord of Death far behind.May you eminent activities for migrators be glorious and without...
To What Extent Should The Dharma Be Protected? 护法应当到什么程度？
Sep. 23 | 于诸佛净戒，护持如明珠。— 释迦牟尼佛《梵网经菩萨戒本》Of all the Buddhas’ pure precepts,protect and uphold them like bright pearls.— Śākyamuni Buddha (Brahma Net Sūtra’s Bodhisattva Precepts) The...
That One Should Disdain Hardships
Sep. 9 | You will earn the respect of all menif you begin by earning the respect of yourself.— Musonius Rufus(Fragment: 30) In order to support more easily and more cheerfully those hardships which we may expect to suffer in behalf of virtue and goodness,...
May Your Compassion Be More Powerful Than Greed
Aug. 28 | We are just being slaughtered and slaughteredone lifetime after another — don’t let your wisdom, compassion and power be so weak!— Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol(in the voice of old ewes) As for the argument sometimes put forward by Mahayana...
Does Cutting Out The Organs Disturb The Mind?
Aug. 5 | Helping our loved ones at the time of death is the best service we can offer them, our greatest gift. Why? Because death is the most important time of life: it’s at death that the next rebirth is determined.— Lama Zopa Rinpoche Some people...
