Are Buddhism’s Oneness and Ten Realms Conflicting with Each Other?

This is the same as asking “Are water and ice one or two?”
Buddhism says the universe is One. Buddhism also says the universe contains Ten Realms. Are they conflicting with each other?
Are the ice and water two or one? Judging by their forms they are two. Judging by their essence they are one. Are they [...]

Buddhism’s Ten Spiritual Realms in Simple Terms

In Buddhism the universe is said to contain ten spiritual realms. See how I reason it out from observing our daily experiences.
In Buddhism the universe is said to contain ten spiritual realms – from Buddha the highest, to Hell the lowest. There are other eight realms in between, including Human, which is about in the [...]

Self-Loop: In Movies and In Life

Self-loop challenges logic. It brings an exciting element to the movies. It also brings a new perspective on the fundamental question in life.
In the movie Minority Report, John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is a pre-crime agent. Through the advanced technology in the late 21st century, he can predict the crime that is about to happen and [...]

Three Simple Exercises to Release Bodily Tension

Our body deserves our best care. These three simple yet powerful Motion Chan (Zen) exercises are ideal for preventive care as well as treatment.
These exercises may appear simple. But when doing them with full attention to the movements with a concentrated mind, they are very powerful — so powerful that they can combat addiction [...]

A Perfect Swing Is Spiritual: Review of the Movie The Legend of Bagger Vance

Spiritual advices on playing golf, told through a caddy. But its implications are way beyond the game of golf.
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), the way I see it, is more of a spiritual movie than a golf movie. It follows the story of a golfer called Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon) who lost his perfect [...]

Eight Simple Yoga Poses for Headache and Neck Pain

Yoga is known to relax and soothe the body. This ancient practice is ideal for self-healing, too.
I do Yoga from time to time as a supplement for my meditation practice. Yoga poses are ideal for relaxing and opening the body for me to prepare for the subsequent meditation.
Lately, I had the opportunity to re-examine some [...]

Living by the Four Noble Truths

Simple yet profound, the ancient wisdom of The Four Noble Truths gives useful pointers on living a better life.
The Four Noble Truths is one of the very first teachings given by the Buddha. It’s also considered the essence of Buddhism. It’s simple and short — only four Chinese characters. Yet each one conveys profound truth [...]

Movie Review: Little Buddha — Complete Version

A movie about two distinct groups of people’s lives crossing path: an American family and the Tibetan Buddhist monks.
I watched the movie Little Buddha (1994) twice, the first time at home and the second time during a retreat. And the second time got me really, really moved (tears in eyes). Maybe I just love this [...]

Breathing Techniques: Breathe Easy and Healthy

Poor air quality where I live (Los Angeles) is a big concern for me. While we have no choice but to breathe in whatever is available to us, we do have choices for a healthier way of breathing.
Recently, the wildfires devastated parts of Southern California. Some lost homes and many more were evacuated. The wildfires [...]

A Zen Buddhist’s Attitude Towards Global Warming

After the interview, I have organized my thoughts on this issue of global warming and written an article about it:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/448860/a_zen_buddhists_attitude_towards_global.html

Applying Zen to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is an extremely popular book — see how many customer reviews it has gathered! But to know those habits is one thing, and to make them actually become your habits is another. I have found that those habits are in fact very close to a [...]

Interview

We got a request from an East Asian studies and film student at USC for interviewing us to know about Buddhist practitioners’ perspectives on the nature, the ecosystem and global warming. We scheduled and did the interview today. He shot the video for the entire interview, and it will be used as part of his [...]