Tag: wisdom
-
The Woman in 4B
A Blues Folk Ballad Three voices, one family breaking apart. A mysterious neighbor with an open door and endless tea. A blues-folk story about the three poisons we carry—greed, anger, and numbness—and the unexpected way we learn to set them down. Told through the eyes of a daughter scrolling her pain away, a son burning…
-
When Patience Becomes Power: 5 Ancient Lessons for Handling Modern Life
In our modern lives, we’re taught to brace for the constant barrage of criticism, personal attacks, and overwhelming hardship. The struggle is mentally and emotionally exhausting, often leaving us feeling fragile and depleted. But what if there was a different way—a method for cultivating an inner strength so profound it could not be shaken by…
-
This 2,000-Year-Old Text Is a Recipe for Life—Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Just Read It
Introduction: The Gap Between Knowing and Doing There’s a well-known gap between knowing something in theory and understanding it through experience. An old metaphor captures this perfectly: you can read a recipe for a meal, memorize every ingredient, and understand the chemistry of cooking, but you will remain completely ignorant of the food’s taste. True…
-
The Threefold Crown
A parent’s heart, warm as dawn,But lacking skill, the path goes wrong.A teacher’s mind, sharp as flame,Without compassion, it twists to blame. A ruler’s hand, strong and sure,But without wisdom, power is cruel.Each fragment shines, yet none complete—The fractured crown leaves souls in need. But here within this world of pain,The Buddha walks, the bond…
-
The Lotus Light of Non-Classification
Beyond the walls of what is fixed and named, The Bodhisattva finds the quiet path. No “superior” or “inferior” is proclaimed, No vehicle to stoke the ego’s wrath. The ultimate truth is Ekayāna’s Single Flow, Where doctrines are but skillful, timely tools, And sectarian pride is simply seen to grow From clinging to the provisional, and not the rules. The Vihāra…
-
The Counter-Intuitive Path to Peace: A 2,000-Year-Old Guide to Not Judging the World
When we think of peace, we often imagine a quiet room, a tranquil landscape, or a life free from conflict. We see it as an external condition—something to be found by arranging the world around us in a pleasing way. But what if this entire understanding is a misconception? A profound teaching from the ancient…
-
Six Seals on the Road
“Six Seals on the Road” is a soulful, acoustic folk-blues track that translates profound spiritual doctrine into a universal song of life’s journey. Inspired by the ultimate guidance for practitioners in Chapter 28 of the Lotus Sūtra, this song recasts the ancient Sixfold Praxis—to copy, keep, read, recite, memorize, and act according to the Sūtra—as…
-
The Unhidden Light
“The Unhidden Light” is a soulful acoustic Folk-Blues track inspired by the profound promise at the heart of the Lotus Sūtra: the Buddha’s universal vow to lead every living being to the same enlightenment he attained. Set to a warm, rhythmic arrangement, this song serves as a powerful reminder that the ultimate truth is an…
-
The Buddha Never Truly Goes
“The Buddha Never Truly Goes” is a heartfelt ballad that bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary introspection. Through lyrical storytelling and a soulful, blues-infused melody, this song challenges the conventional view of the Buddha’s passing, presenting it instead as a profound teaching on omnipresence and inner awakening. The verses, rich with parables, guide…
-
Dharma Blues
Inspired by the opening verses of Chapter 10 of the Lotus Sūtra, “Dharma Blues” is my personal take on a truth that has resonated deeply. It’s a song born from the recognition that suffering and joy are not separate, and that even in a world filled with strife, the “eyes of the Buddha” can show…
Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra 