Daily Wisdom — Taking Exams with a Peaceful Mind

– Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
For students, taking exams is a challenge. In our life journey, we face various challenges — from the environment, relationships, and obligations. If you can overcome those challenges, you will gain strength and experience. But first you must have the will of overcoming.
The essence of Chan is balance. Its [...]

Daily Wisdom — Sutra-opening Verse

– Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
In the beginning of all our formal sessions, we recite the Sutra-opening Verse. Sutra-opening Verse is a poetic verse or stanza that is taken from the Buddhist scriptures, and is a summary of the Buddhist teachings. In our Chan School, which teaches without words and formalities, reciting the Sutra-opening [...]

Daily Wisdom — Fruitful Realization

– Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
We can apply the wisdom of Chan to our everyday life. Over a decade ago, there was a period of time when I was on fruit diet. One day, when I was meditating, the image of a papaya appeared in my mind. I then realized that it was because [...]

Daily Wisdom — Anti-aging: Reconnecting with Nature

– Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
Sometimes it may appear that we are completely independent of Mother Nature as human beings. This is however not true. For example, when we go to the mountains or the beach we feel more open and energetic. This is the energy of the nature manifested on the working of [...]

Daily Wisdom — Chan Is the Totality of Your Life Experiences

– Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
Chan is in everyone’s everyday life. The first step to fundamental Chan is to do your job well with complete concentration. An example to this statement would be the following.
If you own a noodle restaurant, your heart and goal would be to please your customers. You want the customers [...]

Daily Wisdom — Heart Opening Exercise

Practicing Heart Opening Exercise helps us to prepare for guarding the Heart Chakra. It also exercises our shoulder muscles and shoulder blades.
1. Basically, draw circles with both arms. First at the waist height, second at the chest height (both parallel to the ground), and third draw the biggest circle perpendicular to the ground. 18 circles [...]

Daily Wisdom — Outside True Hearts Exists No Buddha

By Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
Translated by Shilo, Harry and Ronald

Outside True Hearts Exists No Buddha

Chan Buddhism is known to teach its practitioners without formality and language. It is the teachings of “heart-to-heart transmission.” It is also known to be “pointing straight to the heart,” “witnessing true nature,” and “seeing Buddha, becoming Buddha.” The [...]

Daily Wisdom — Arm Twisting Motion Chan

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
2. Bring your arms out to the side at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Turn your right palm up and left palm down.
3. Following the direction of the twisting caused by turning of the palms, twist the arms even more to your maximum without straining. Simultaneously turn [...]

Daily Wisdom — the Universal Life Force

By Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
Translated by Shilo, Harry and Ronald

The Universal Life Force
Chan is the infinite universal life force. This life force supports and contributes to all lives and physical forms. For example, in the solar system of sun, moon and earth, the sun provides abundant life elements that are beyond human being’s [...]

Daily Wisdom — Eliminate Thoughts by Focusing on Chakras

By Chan Master Wu Jue Miao Tian
Translated by Shilo, Harry and Ronald
Eliminate Thoughts by Focusing on Chakras
You have to eliminate wandering thoughts and achieve the state of “thoughtlessness”. When you get started for meditation, your mind is often full of wandering thoughts. The more you intend to remove them, the more futile you are. [...]

Five Sitting Zen Guidelines

坐姿如鐘 Sit As A Bell
背直如松 Spine Like A Pine
身心放鬆 Relax Body & Mind
精神集中 Center With All Might
腦海空空 Think Of Nothing
For me personally, the hardest part has been the last two: Center with All Might and Think Of Nothing. It is still challenging. And I know this is true for many people, too. So in addition [...]

Purification, Wisdom, Harmonization, Enlightenment

In all meditation centers of Heart Chan, you will see eight Chinese characters, two in a group, on the front wall. They mean, in English: Purification, Wisdom, Harmonization, and Enlightenment.
Purification, Wisdom, Harmonization, and Enlightenment are the Four Stages of Practicing Zen, so to speak. These principles are so important that Zen Master posts them on [...]