Tag: Buddhism
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An Ancient Text’s Surprising Diagnosis for Modern Unhappiness
We are all engaged in a lifelong pursuit of happiness. It’s a fundamental human drive, yet for many, it remains an elusive goal, always just over the horizon. We follow the prescribed paths—career success, new experiences, material comfort—only to find ourselves back where we started, with the persistent feeling that we’re missing something obvious, as…
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The Ancient Secret to Seeing Clearly: Why ‘Spiritual Merits’ Aren’t What You Think
In our modern world, we’re swimming in a digital deluge, a constant static that fogs our perception and leaves us longing for stillness. In our search for clarity, a profound teaching from the ancient Lotus Sūtra offers a surprising perspective, reframing our entire understanding of what it means to truly see, hear, and experience our…
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A 2,000-Year-Old Teaching That Reframes Your Suffering as a Sacred Mission
It’s a heavy time to be alive. The endless scroll of crises, the psychic weight of global conflict, the quiet helplessness that settles in when the world feels broken—it can all become too much. This feeling can lead to a deep yearning for escape, a sense that life is not a choice we made but…
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The Hidden Chapters: How a Textual Detective Story Is Reshaping a Sacred Buddhist Scripture
The Dhammapada is one of Buddhism’s most beloved, accessible, and widely-translated texts. For over two millennia, its 423 verses, neatly organized into twenty-six chapters, have offered profound wisdom in a simple and memorable format. Practitioners and scholars alike have revered this structure as a definitive presentation of the Buddha’s core teachings. But what if the…
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Why a Buddhist Demon’s Violent Threat is Really a Lesson in Compassion
We often turn to sacred texts expecting to find words of peace and solace. It can be jarring, then, to encounter a passage that sounds like a violent threat, especially when it comes from beings vowing to protect a sacred teaching. How can a demon’s harsh vow to split someone’s head into seven pieces become…
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The Ancient Secret to Finding Wisdom in Everyone You Meet
In our modern world, we are constantly navigating a sea of information and advice. From experts and influencers to friends and family, everyone has an opinion on how we should live, work, and find happiness. This endless stream of conflicting guidance can leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. Who should we trust? Where can we…
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The Ancient Secret to Patience When No One Will Listen
An Ancient Text on What to Do When You’re Misunderstood It’s a uniquely human frustration. You have a profound idea, a piece of hard-won wisdom, or a helpful insight that you believe could genuinely help someone. You share it with care, hoping for a spark of connection or understanding. Instead, you’re met with a blank…
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The Gospel of the Lotus Sutra: 4 Mind-Bending Truths from a Blues Interpretation
https://elevenreader.io/audiobooks/the-lotus-sutra-a-blues-interpretation/slSrCWjgSsIghTIuY4WH Listen now, because what you’re about to hear is a strange and beautiful song. It comes from an ancient Buddhist text, the Lotus Sutra, often called the “King of Sutras” in Asia. For 2,000 years, it has been a source of profound spiritual insight. But what happens when its classical verses are filtered through…
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The Monkey, the Cow, and the Crown Jewel
“The Monkey, the Cow, and the Crown Jewel” is a musical journey into a profound spiritual paradox from 13th-century Japan. Inspired by Nichiren Daishonin’s letter, the Urabon Gosho, the song tells the story of Lord Jibu, a priest described as lacking wisdom and dignity—like a “monkey or a cow”. Yet, he is praised in the…
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Twigs and Leaves
A stark, bluesy folk ballad that tells a heavy story. Inspired by the dramatic schism in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra, “Twigs and Leaves” is a song about one of the most subtle dangers on the spiritual path: arrogance (māna). It recounts the moment when 5,000 practitioners, believing they had already achieved enlightenment, walked…
Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra 