If you do, you already got enlightened!!” — Today I introduced a story of the Buddha’s life in the class. There is the episode of “four signs,” which the Buddha saw when he was still a prince of the Śākya clan. …

Do you know what a “buddha” means? — Today one of my students asked in the class: “What does a “buddha” mean”? I gave her a general etymological explanation that one of the possible English translations of the Sanskrit “buddha” is “awakened one.” She then asked, “Awakened from what?” Awakening from sleeping!! In Buddhism, unawakened people are considered…

Controlling a body, shaping the mind — Today one of my students asked in the class: “Why is breathing important in meditative traditions?” I referred to Thich Nhat Hanh once saying, “Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” I then asked the student: “When we relax…

Is it an emotionless state? — Today one of my students mentioned asked me in the class if nirvāṇa is an emotionless void. It is a common understanding of nirvāṇa from a nihilistic view. I answered her no. With nirvāṇa, which literally means “blowing out of the flame,” we regain wisdom. Why and how? Because it…

Why Can’t I Listen the Voice of “Sacred”? — When I was teaching a class yesterday via Zoom, one of my students seemed to always be looking down and doing something else, so I warned her to listen to my talk. I said: “I thoroughly prepared this lecture and speak with all my devotion. …