SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Tag: humility

  • The Chan Master who pocketed his fame

    Chan Master Chongxian (980–1052), also known as Xuedou Chongxian, was a prominent Chinese Chan (Zen) master of the Song Dynasty. He is best known for his “Collection of Gathas on the Blue Cliff Record” (Biyan Lu), a classic Chan text that became one of the most influential works in Zen literature.

    (more…)

  • An unconventional ordination story

    Danxia Tianran was a renowned Tang Dynasty Chan master. Ordained as “Tianran,” he earned the name Danxia Tianran after founding Danxia Temple (also known as Red Clouds Temple or Immortal Clouds Temple) on Mount Danxia in Nanzhao County, Henan. Celebrated for his unconventional methods and iconoclastic wisdom, his ordination story epitomizes these traits.

    (more…)

  • What the heart holds, the eye beholds

    Su Dongpo, the famed poet, shared a close yet playful rivalry with the Buddhist monk Foyin, often trading barbs—though Su usually lost.

    (more…)

  • Wukong – the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven

    ‌In Journey to the West, the names and titles of the characters often carry specific symbolic meanings.‌

    (more…)

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 69

    Chapter 69 employs military metaphors to unveil the Daoist philosophy of ‘retreating to advance’ and ‘softness overcoming hardness’. Lao Tzu first references ancient military wisdom: ‘I dare not take the initiative but prefer to respond; I dare not advance an inch but prefer to withdraw a foot’. This emphasizes avoiding provocation, resisting rash aggression, and instead retreating strategically to observe the situation, gather strength, and act with hidden intent. Actions remain concealed, leaving no trace for the enemy to follow—appearing as non-action, yet embodying the stratagem of ‘formlessness conquering form’ .

    (more…)

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 67

    The Dao, due to its all-encompassing and formless nature, cannot be grasped through the perception of concrete forms. We learn to cultivate the Dao by emulating the sages. The sages’ treasures for realizing the Dao are ‌compassion‌, ‌frugality‌, and ‌humility‌ (‘daring not to put oneself ahead of the world’).

    (more…)

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 66

    Chapter 66 explores the paradox of leadership through the metaphor of rivers and oceans, emphasizing humility, selflessness, and the power of “remaining below”. Lao Tzu argues that true authority arises not from dominance or self-promotion but from serving others and embracing a lowly position. This chapter crystallizes the Taoist ideal of leading through non-contention and aligning with the natural flow of the Tao.

    (more…)

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 64

    Chapter 64 emphasizes preventive action, alignment with natural cycles, and the wisdom of addressing problems before they arise.

    (more…)

  • Dao De Jing – Chapter 62

    This chapter centers on the Dao as the origin of all things and a universal law, emphasizing its all-encompassing inclusivity and redemptive power transcending moral binaries. Both the virtuous (those aligned with the Dao) and the non-virtuous (those yet to awaken to it) can benefit from the Tao’s grace. Laozi rejects using moral standards to exclude others, advocating instead for transforming the unawakened through gracious words and noble deeds. This reflects the Tao’s boundless compassion and salvific function. By embodying the Tao, one achieves self-cultivation and avoids grave missteps.

    (more…)