Daily Dharma

Children of His Majesty Yamaoka Tesshu was a tutor of the emperor. He was also a master of fencing and a profound student of Zen.… Read More »Children of His Majesty

The Consequences of Dogmas Dogmas — religious, political, scientific — arise out of the erroneous belief that thought can encapsulate reality or the truth. Dogmas… Read More »The Consequences of Dogmas

What We’re Really Seeking through Consumption Once, not long after I was ordained as a Zen priest, I visited my cousin in Miami. An oral… Read More »What We’re Really Seeking through Consumption

Who is Truly Pitiful? Who is Truly Fortunate? Note: This excerpt from The Life of Milarepa picks up when a group of hunters encounters Milarepa… Read More »Who is Truly Pitiful? Who is Truly Fortunate?

Transforming Heartbreak into Wisdom A conversation that took place between two American women describes [the] intimate relationship between physical and immaterial forms of dying. One… Read More »Transforming Heartbreak into Wisdom

The Taoteching #20 Yes and noaren’t so far apartlovely and uglyaren’t so unalikewhat other fearwe too must fearbefore the moon waneseveryone is gayas if they… Read More »The Taoteching #20

No Lofty Objectives The word “Zen” means meditation, and meditation is certainly the best-known Zen practice. But meditation is not mere spiritual contemplation. In the Soto… Read More »No Lofty Objectives

In the World Do not live in the world,In distraction and false dreams,Outside the [Dharma]. Arise and watch.Follow the way joyfullyThrough this world and beyond.… Read More »In the World

How to Know When You’re Avoiding What Is Whenever you are immersed in compulsive thinking, you are avoiding what is. You don’t want to be… Read More »How to Know When You’re Avoiding What Is

The Subjugation of a Ghost A young wife fell sick and was about to die. “I love you so much,” she told her husband, “I… Read More »The Subjugation of a Ghost