Category archive for ‘Inspirational’ 
-
Stitaprajna: Standing Consciousness
By U. Mahesh Prabhu
Feelings and emotions are explicit testimonies to the fact that we are men. But when we fail to tame them and flow with them, our life is on a sure path to disaster.
There is a word in Sanskrit, which is largely unparalleled in any other language, called Stitaprajna. Simply translated the word [...] -
A Better Way to Counter Depression
Depression, according to recent statistics, is practically an epidemic, with over 70 million people suffering from its affects, such as a feeling of moroseness, uselessness, lack of energy, inability to sleep, and a poor attitude toward life in general, among other symptoms. Depression causes a pessimistic view of things. It also discourages enthusiasm and stifles one’s initiative. It may also produce despair and bring about sickness in the mind and body. It can make one resort to rash and thoughtless actions that a person may later regret. Much of the time such thoughts are completely unnecessary. Thus, it is imperative that we help cure depression so that people can live with more happiness, ingenuity, energy, and are thus able to reach a higher potential in life.Stephen Knapp writes more.
-
Sleeping in the Daytime
The master Soyen Shaku passed from this world when he was sixty-one years of age. Fulfilling his life’s work, he left a great teaching, far richer than that of most Zen masters. His pupils used to sleep in the daytime during midsummer, and while he overlooked this he himself never wasted a minute.
-
Wisdom through Adversity
Shwetank Dubey writes philosophically about Adversity. Fair enough to make an enduring read for the non-philosophical mortals.
-
Reciting Sutras
A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his wife, who had died. After the recitation was over the farmer asked: “Do you think my wife will gain merit from this?”
“Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from the recitation of sutras,” answered the priest.
“If you say all sentient beings [...] -
Story of Okpoko
There was a bird, called Okpoko, whose head was odd and abnormally large. Other birds of the air frequently teased him and made disparaging remarks about his appearance. They did so with intent to hurt his feelings and to provoke him into a fight he could not win for they always teased him in league. The rapidity with which they hauled insults at him was inconceivable but he remained cool and refused to rage. Augustine Ohanwe writes more.
-
Story of an Unusual Determination
In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. He tried the path and failed. Yet, the Bridge became a reality soon. This is how…
-
The Silent Temple
Shoichi was a one-eyed teacher of Zen, sparkling with enlightenment. He taught his disciples in Tofuku temple. Day and night the whole temple stood in silence. There was no sound at all. Even the reciting of sutras was abolished by the teacher. His pupils had nothing to do but meditate…
-
Is That So?
The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life. A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child. This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin…
-
Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road
Gudo was the emperor’s teacher in his time. Nevertheless, he used to travel alone—a wandering mendicant. Once when he was on his way to Edo, the cultural and political center of the shogunate, he approached a little village named Takenaka. It was evening and a heavy rain was falling. Gudo was thoroughly wet. His straw [...]