“Return to Amida, Return to Amida, So even dewdrops fall,” wrote the Soto Zen hermit Ryokan (1756–1831) famously, and throughout his life he exhorted those
Faith is not genuine if the practice is not always active Master Shandao (613–81) introduced an important concept about faith in Amitabha’s deliverance and the
What is next after we place our faith in Amitabha’s deliverance? One is considered to have established the two kinds of deep faith when one
One of my aspirations as a journalist of religion is to explore how to better recount and share the teachings of Buddhism with more people.
One day my daughter asked me, “Dad, I know ‘Western’ religion emphasizes belief in God. However, if someone asks me what Buddhists believe, what should
Four years ago, one of my best friends visited Hong Kong. The first cultural landmark I took him to was Chi Lin Nunnery, which I
The Two Other Kinds of Perseverance It is joyful to read the books written by Master Shandao, the de facto founder of Pure Land Buddhism,
If you have ever felt joyful upon hearing of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance and admittance to his Pure Land, you are now on the right track
Shakyamuni’s “Secret Message” for Ultimate Liberation Many people have the general impression that Buddhism is very difficult to understand. Just as in many other subjects,
An Easy Path for Uncultured People I first approached Buddhism as a philosophy in 1988, when I was searching for the truth about life and
My Dad was Skeptical about Buddhism My dad passed away in April 2012 at the age of 95. He was not well educated, and had
Buddha-invocation (Ch. nianfo; J. nembutsu) in its various forms is the most common practice in Buddhism. It is a routine daily practice in nearly all schools of
