ancient parables, chinese philosophy, destiny, enlightenment, fate, inner strength, introspection, life lessons, monk, monk teachings, moral values, personal journey, perspective, resilience, self-discovery, transformation, virtue, wisdom

The Grape and the Monk: An Ancient Parable on Shaping One’s Destiny

Throughout history, tales have been told to illuminate the deeper truths of our existence, to guide us when we feel lost, and to remind us of the power that lies within. Such is the ancient parable of Defu, whose name symbolizes fortune, but whose life was marked by anything but. Through an unexpected encounter with ...

Mikel Davis

Two hands holding purple grapes.

Incurable Pain Is a Debt From a Previous Life

One day, a woman came to an acupuncture clinic to treat incurable pain. The doctor found a note on the woman’s medical record: “Afraid of acupuncture. Not fond of acupuncture.” The woman suffered from joint and muscle pain. It was so excruciating that she could not lift a glass of water. She sought medical treatments ...

Mikel Davis

Dark Zen stones sit in a pile.

Xuyun, the Most Eminent Monk in Modern China

The life of Xuyun, the most eminent monk in modern China, is a legendary tale. He lived through five emperors of the Qing Dynasty and witnessed a century of upheaval and monumental changes caused by war in China.  At the age of 112, Xuyun was severely beaten several times but miraculously survived and recovered, shocking ...

Tatiana Denning

A brown leaf on a twig.

2 Legendary Tales: Monks Taming Tigers

Known as the Year of the Tiger, February 1 marks the beginning of the 2022 Lunar New Year. In the eyes of people across the world, the tiger is the most majestic of beasts. He is the king of beasts, and his roar can cause people to tremble and mountains to shake. But when he’s ...

Tatiana Denning

Bengal tiger lying on the grass..

How Gong Yuan Found Out That Heaven Knows Everything

We often do things and conceal our thoughts, unaware that Heaven knows everything we think and do. In the Ming Dynasty, Dongyue Temple, Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong, was well-known for the manifestation of deities. During the Hongzhi reign of Emperor Xiaozong, Gong Yuan, who was from Suzhou and a successful candidate in the highest imperial exam, ...

Hermann Rohr

A view of the sun shining on clouds over the sea.

A Monk Suffered Retribution After Using Buddha Dharma to Make Money

Even a monk can suffer retribution. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was a monk called Yan Tong in Northern Qi. Although he was a monk, he was unable to achieve the Four Great Emptiness, and in the end, he did not really want to practice. In fact, Yan Tong loved money as though ...

Emma Lu

A statue of a golden buddha.

How a Blooming Flower Taught a Young Monk Not to Show Off

Once, there was a homeless youth who went to a temple where he was fortunate enough to be accepted. After he had a bath and shaved his head, the young monk looked quite attractive. The temple master took care of him and taught him basic lessons. He was quite smart and diligent, and soon the master ...

David Clapp

Statues of 3 monks with a flowering plant hanging nearby.

Emperor Wu of Liang: China’s First Monk Emperor

Emperor Wu of Liang (464-549), also called Xiao Yan, was born at Nanlanling Zhoudouli during the Southern dynasties. Xiao Yan reigned for 48 years and died at the age of 86. He was one of the longest living emperors in Chinese history, second only to Qing Dynasty emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). According to the Comprehensive Mirror ...

Nspirement Staff