Sometimes, we discover that apparent wins and losses are not what they seem. What appears to be a victory may be a profound defeat. Saving a life One cool summer’s day, a monk climbed a mountain to gather some firewood. On his descent, he encountered a young boy holding a butterfly tightly. Spotting the monk, ...
Throughout history, tales have been told to illuminate the deeper truths of our existence, to guide us when we feel lost, and to remind us of the power that lies within. Such is the ancient parable of Defu, whose name symbolizes fortune, but whose life was marked by anything but. Through an unexpected encounter with ...
There once was a Japanese ship that was sailing and had reached the sea near a Chinese coastal town. Suddenly, a fatal storm struck and the Japanese ship was on the brink of sinking. But a Chinese monk standing on the shore picked up some soil next to him and threw it into the sea. ...
One day, a woman came to an acupuncture clinic to treat incurable pain. The doctor found a note on the woman’s medical record: “Afraid of acupuncture. Not fond of acupuncture.” The woman suffered from joint and muscle pain. It was so excruciating that she could not lift a glass of water. She sought medical treatments ...
The life of Xuyun, the most eminent monk in modern China, is a legendary tale. He lived through five emperors of the Qing Dynasty and witnessed a century of upheaval and monumental changes caused by war in China. At the age of 112, Xuyun was severely beaten several times but miraculously survived and recovered, shocking ...
Daolu, the 47-year-old monk commonly known as Wu Bing, was born in Nantong in Jiangsu Province, China. Once a successful businessman who owned a small factory engaged in foreign trade, he divorced in 2007 and became a monk in 2011, at which time he was given the dharma name “Daolu.” Although he is a monk, ...
Known as the Year of the Tiger, February 1 marks the beginning of the 2022 Lunar New Year. In the eyes of people across the world, the tiger is the most majestic of beasts. He is the king of beasts, and his roar can cause people to tremble and mountains to shake. But when he’s ...
We often do things and conceal our thoughts, unaware that Heaven knows everything we think and do. In the Ming Dynasty, Dongyue Temple, Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong, was well-known for the manifestation of deities. During the Hongzhi reign of Emperor Xiaozong, Gong Yuan, who was from Suzhou and a successful candidate in the highest imperial exam, ...
Even a monk can suffer retribution. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was a monk called Yan Tong in Northern Qi. Although he was a monk, he was unable to achieve the Four Great Emptiness, and in the end, he did not really want to practice. In fact, Yan Tong loved money as though ...
Once, there was a homeless youth who went to a temple where he was fortunate enough to be accepted. After he had a bath and shaved his head, the young monk looked quite attractive. The temple master took care of him and taught him basic lessons. He was quite smart and diligent, and soon the master ...
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