Zen Practice– category –

1 We have been taught to be “discreet” people, at school and home, since childhood. Looking up the word “funbetsu” or “discretion” in the dictionary, you will find meanings such as “to understand reason, to consider what is right and wro...

1 This may seem a rather unexpected question, but what do you think when you see a pencil? For most people, a pencil is a tool to write with. However, when you change your perspective, it is no longer something to write with, but somethi...

1 We often easily use the words “but” or “Hey, but…” when our demands are not accepted. The expressions that follow these conjunctions are always negative. We tend to quibble when we don’t get our way, no matter what we say. Haven’t you ...

1 Everyone wants to be happy. So where is this happiness? What is happiness anyway? For many people, happiness is money, a job, status, or fame, but this kind of happiness is dependent on things outside of you. The happiness brought abou...

1 Don’t be tricked by the monsters in your mind. The heart is a demon. The word “heart” suggests a somewhat pure and benign image, however, the heart controls our mental state and hides a negative side, which leads to bad behavior. Regre...

1 The other day, a friend of mine asked for my advice about his troublesome subordinate. He told me that he is very upset with his subordinate because he doesn’t follow instructions, he only does　what he is told to do, and he cannot eve...

1 There are a lot of chatterers in this world. They say what they want to say and feel good about it. However, for listeners, it’s hard. The reasons for too much talk are thought to be: repetition, an inability to grasp the timing to end...

1 I think everyone has been hurt. When we are hurt by others, resenting and rejecting them is human nature. In some cases, we may wish for the unhappiness and misfortune of those who hurt us. We think like this because somewhere in our m...