Spiritual Odyssey

As soon as we have words we have concepts. No matter how articulate the speaker, how believable the teacher, using words forces the speaker to form concepts in order to convey ideas to [...]

The relationship between teacher and pupil is a very noble one in the history of Spiritual Practice. Never, in the history of such relationships, had I ever heard of a chela (or monk, [...]

In 43 years of following a spiritual path, what has always amazed me is that my own inner experience has very seldom coincided with the written and spoken teaching I had been exposed [...]

One of the hardest things for a beginner to understand is the fact that there must be physical changes for spiritual changes to take place. We are so used to thinking of spiritual [...]

In the Prajna Paramita Sutra, the Buddha speaks of the “Perfection of Wisdom” and the admirable traits of the Bodhisattva. This wisdom is, of course, the prajna, the inherent wisdom that is within [...]

Most people use the word spiritual (as opposed to physical) without having any idea of the meaning of the word; they just think of something ephemeral. Even if you explain that it means [...]

There seems to be a renaissance of interest in Zen in this country. I am happy that [we've published my book,] Zen Meditation: A Broad View, which had been out of print for [...]

Softness and continuity are the essence of T’ai Chi Chih. It is the soft water that wears away the hard rock; the tongue outlasts the teeth. Hardness and confrontation are brittle and destructive; [...]

The Buddha was asked: “Are you a God?” “No,” was his answer. “Are you a super man?” “No.” “Then what are you?” “I am awake!” was the surprising answer. Buddha meant this literally. [...]

There are two histories of mankind: one is cultural, which is lasting, and the other is the study of aggression and violence, which is fleeting. As an example, there are no remnants of [...]

Empty space seems to be a vast continuum of energy, and that energy is Wisdom. Energy appears in many forms, including matter, and it’s always there for us to use in recharging ourselves [...]

The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to be happy is, “Just remember that this life is temporary, transient. So don’t take it too seriously, and certainly don’t become attached [...]