• “I Can Make It Happen”

    History abounds with tales of experts who were convinced that the ideas, plans, and projects of others could never be achieved. However, accomplishment came to those who said, “I can make it…

  • Mandela’s humility

    Pippa Green recalls the man who shunned pomp (Dec. 12, 2013) Shortly after he turned 80, Nelson Mandela received an honorary doctorate from Harvard at a special convocation. “I know that through…

  • Nobody in the boat

    The Taoists have a famous teaching about an empty boat (read the story ‘The Empty boat’ in this website) that rams into your boat in the middle of a river. While you…

  • Buddha with a black nose

    This is a famous story about a Zen nun. She had a beautiful golden Buddha, a very artistic, aesthetic statue of Buddha, made of pure gold. And the nun used to carry…

  • The first principle

    When one goes to Obaku temple in Kyoto, one can see carved over the gate the words “The First Principle.” The letters are unusually large, and those who appreciate calligraphy always admire them as…

  • The crystal cup

    A Zen master was given a beautifully crafted crystal cup. It was a gift from a former student. He was very grateful. Every day, he enjoyed drinking out of his glass. He…

  • Be the boss

    A horse suddenly came galloping down the road. It seemed as though the man had somewhere important to go. Another man, who was standing alongside the road, shouted, “Where are you going?”…

  • The symmetry of kindness

    The train slammed into the station, injuring hundreds. The engineer was critically hurt. People toppled over each other, bouncing across seats and against windows. There was blood and glass everywhere. One woman…