Anytime, Anywhere Meditation with Anything

All Buddhist Stories

Short Stories from the video

1. The Pizza Story (The More You Push, The More It Comes)

A teacher told his students: “For thirty seconds, do not think of pizza.”
They tried, but the more they resisted, the more pizzas popped into their minds—cheese pizza, veggie pizza, every kind of pizza.
The teacher smiled and said: “This is how life works. When you push away your thoughts and emotions, they bounce back stronger. Acceptance is the key. Let the pizza come and go.”

Moral: Resisting thoughts only feeds them. Accept and let them pass.

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2. The Gym Walk

A man drives to the gym and wants to park right at the entrance. If he finds a faraway spot, he grumbles with every step: “Bad day, too far, unlucky me.”
Yet once inside, he climbs onto the treadmill, walking happily, step after step: “Good for my health! My money is well-spent!”
The walk outside and the walk inside were the same. Only his attitude changed.

Moral: Suffering or happiness is not in the walk—it is in the mind’s perspective.

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3. The Diamond in the Broken House

A poor man lived in a leaking, broken house. He struggled through cold winters and hot summers, never knowing that hidden in his home were 10 kilos of diamonds.
One day, a friend told him, “These stones you ignore are diamonds!” Slowly, the man realized the truth. He exchanged a single diamond for a beautiful house by the mountain, filled with food and warmth.
Yet whether he was in the broken house or the new one, the diamonds always belonged to him.

Moral: We all carry inner treasures—awareness, love, and wisdom. Recognition makes the difference.

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4. The Sky and the Clouds

A son complained of panic attacks. His father said:
“Your true nature is like the vast Himalayan sky. Panic is just a passing storm. The storm never harms the sky—it comes and goes, but the sky remains pure.”
The son realized he didn’t need to fight the storm. He only needed to stay connected with the sky.

Moral: Thoughts and emotions are clouds. Awareness is the unchanging sky.

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5. The Three Ways of Drinking Water

A teacher showed his students a glass of water and said:

• First way: grasp tightly—“I must drink this now!”

• Second way: reject it—“I hate water, maybe tomorrow.”

• Third way: relax, follow the flow, and simply drink.
  Everyone agreed the third way was best. The teacher said: “Yet often we live in the first or second way—too tight with craving, or too loose with aversion.”

Moral: Balance and awareness make life natural and joyful.

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Meditation Anytime, Anywhere: Discovering the Diamonds Within

Good morning. Today I want to share a simple yet profound truth: meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere, with anything. It doesn’t require a cushion, a monastery, or even silence. All it requires is recognition—recognition of our inner potential and the qualities we already carry within us.

The Two Purposes of Meditation

Meditation, at its essence, has two main purposes:

1. To discover our innate potential.
   Beneath all our worries, fears, and limitations, there is something unshakable within each of us. It doesn’t matter who you are—everyone carries this same inner diamond.

2. To learn how to recognize it in everyday life.
   We don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to meditate. We can connect with this awareness anytime, anywhere, with anything. Even a sound, a thought, or an emotion can become the doorway.

When we connect with this, meditation becomes self-liberation. And the benefit doesn’t stop with us—peace inside naturally creates a positive influence outside, touching our family, friends, coworkers, and beyond.

The Three Inner Diamonds

Within each of us are three treasures, three qualities that never leave us:

1. Awareness

2. Love and Compassion

3. Wisdom

These are our inner diamonds. The problem isn’t that we don’t have them—it’s that we don’t recognize them. It’s like having ten kilos of diamonds in your house but mistaking them for stones. Once you recognize what they are, your entire life changes.

My Journey: From Panic to Practice

I didn’t come to meditation through peace, but through panic. Years ago, I suffered from severe panic attacks. At first, I thought they were heart attacks. But my teacher explained something life-changing:

• Fighting panic only makes it stronger.

• The real problem wasn’t the panic itself, but my fear of panic.

He gave me an example: “Don’t think of pizza.” Immediately, your mind fills with pizza! This is what happens with fear and aversion—the harder we push away, the stronger it comes back.

The secret, he said, was not to fight the panic, but to connect with the sky of awareness behind it. Storm clouds don’t change the nature of the sky; they come and go, but the sky remains vast and open. In the same way, thoughts, emotions, even panic are temporary clouds. Our awareness is the sky.

The Three Steps: View, Meditation, Application

Every authentic meditation practice rests on three foundations:

1. View – Recognizing the inner diamonds of awareness, love, and wisdom.

2. Meditation – Experiencing them directly, even for a few moments at a time.

3. Application – Bringing that recognition into daily life: at work, with family, while eating, walking, or even scrolling your phone.

If we only have one of these three, transformation is limited. Together, they can change our lives.

Awareness: Always Here

What is awareness? It is the simple knowing quality of the mind—the ability to see, hear, feel, taste, smell, and think. It’s always present, whether we notice it or not.

When you hear a sound and recognize it, that’s awareness. When you realize you’re distracted, that too is awareness. Awareness is like gravity: it doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not, it’s always there.

The practice is simply to recognize it, again and again.

Practical Meditation: Sound and Breath

Let’s try two simple practices:

• Sound meditation: Close your eyes and just listen. Air conditioning, footsteps, birds, coughing—whatever is there. When you notice you’ve drifted into thoughts, gently return to the sound.

• Breath meditation: Notice your natural breathing. Inhale, exhale. Don’t force or change it—just watch.

The essence isn’t to stop thoughts or create calm. The essence is awareness. Calm, peace, and joy are natural byproducts.

From Craving and Aversion to Freedom

In meditation, we learn three lifelong skills:

1. Being okay with not-okay.
   Transforming aversion into acceptance and compassion.

2. Returning again and again.
   Instead of being pulled away by craving, we come back to the present. This makes us the leader of our own mind.

3. Seeing reality as it is.
   This is wisdom—experiencing life directly, without distortion.

These three skills—compassion, awareness, wisdom—transform suffering at its roots.

Everyday Meditation

You don’t need hours. Start with just five minutes a day of formal meditation—no phone, no TV, just sit and breathe. Then, sprinkle informal practice throughout your day:

• Savor the smell and taste of your food.

• Notice your breath before sending an email.

• Listen to the sounds around you instead of getting lost in thought.

Meditation is not about escaping life—it’s about living it more fully, with awareness, compassion, and wisdom.

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✨ Remember: The diamonds are already within you. Awareness, love, and wisdom are always here. Meditation is simply the art of recognizing them, again and again—anytime, anywhere, with anything.

Falsely Accused - The Zen Master's Story

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Hakuin was a Zen teacher, known for his quiet way of living. 
He didn't seek attention. But over time, people began to admire him. 
Some said he was a man of deep wisdom. 
Others just said he seemed settled. He never argued with either. 
In the same town, a teenage girl lived with her parents. One day, they discovered she was pregnant. 
They demanded to know who the father was, but she refused to speak. She was afraid. 
Her parents were furious. They went straight to Hakuin and accused him to his face. He listened. Then calmly he said, "Is that so?" 
That was all. 
Finally, under pressure, she gave them a name. She said, "Hakuin." 
Word spread. 
People stopped speaking to him. His reputation disappeared overnight. No more visitors, no more gifts at the door, no more respectful greetings. 
Hakuin didn't complain. He kept going. 
When the child was born, the parents brought the baby to him. They said, "Take it, this is your responsibility now." 
Hakuin accepted the child. 
He asked no questions. He fed the baby, kept him warm, and raised him without comment. 
Neighbors watched, unsure what to believe. 
A year passed. One morning, the young woman came back. Her head was down. Her parents were with her. "I lied," she said, her voice small. 
"I was scared. I gave them your name to protect myself. I'm sorry." 
The parents asked for forgiveness. They asked if they could take the child back. 
Hakuin didn't scold them. He didn't explain anything. He handed them the child. Is that so? 

And that was the end of it. You see in life, in your life, there will be moments when the world misunderstands you, when judgment falls unfairly, and your truth feels unseen. But like Hakuin, you can choose to meet it with calm, to hold your peace without needing to fight for or explain for. Because true strength lies not in changing others, but in staying steady within yourself. And the truth can take care of itself. 
Thank you so much for reading and stay blessed.

What are the key lessons from this story?

Of course. This powerful Zen story about Master Hakuin offers several profound lessons for navigating life's challenges.

Here are the key takeaways:

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## Equanimity and Non-Reaction

The core of the story lies in Hakuin's simple, repeated response: "Is that so?". This isn't a statement of agreement or denial. It is a profound act of equanimity—a state of mental calmness and composure in the face of difficulty.

• Lesson: Instead of reacting with anger, fear, or defensiveness when faced with accusations or dramatic events, we can choose to simply observe the situation without getting emotionally entangled. We acknowledge the other person's reality ("Is that so?") without letting it dictate our own inner peace.

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## Detachment from Reputation and Ego

Hakuin's reputation was destroyed overnight, yet his behavior didn't change. He didn't fight to clear his name or lament his lost status. This shows that his sense of self-worth was not tied to the opinions of others.

• Lesson: True strength comes from an internal foundation, not external validation. Praise and blame are temporary and often based on incomplete information. Attaching your identity to what others think of you makes you vulnerable; finding peace within makes you resilient.

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## Compassion and Responsibility in Action

When the baby was brought to him, Hakuin didn't argue or complain about the injustice. He saw a being in need and took compassionate action. He accepted the responsibility placed upon him and cared for the child with diligence.

• Lesson: True wisdom isn't passive. It's about responding to the needs of the present moment with compassion, regardless of the circumstances. Instead of getting lost in "what should be," Hakuin focused on "what is" and did what was necessary.

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## The Power of Letting Go

Just as easily as he accepted the child, Hakuin handed him back when the truth was revealed. There was no bitterness, no "I told you so," no demand for apology. He held onto nothing—not the injustice, not his reputation, and not even the child he had cared for.

• Lesson: Non-attachment is a key to freedom. By letting go of grievances, a need to be right, and even positive attachments, we can move through life with greater peace and flexibility.

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## Trusting That Truth Will Prevail

Hakuin never felt the need to defend himself. He lived his truth quietly and consistently. In the end, the external truth aligned with his internal integrity without him having to force it.

• Lesson: Living with integrity is its own defense. While it's not always easy, having faith that the truth will eventually surface can free you from the exhausting battle of trying to manage everyone's perception of you. 🙏

Releasing your cows (Buddhist Story)

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One day the Buddha was sitting with some of his monks in the woods. 

They had just come back from an almsround and were ready to share a mindful lunch together. A farmer passed by, looking distraught.

He asked the Buddha, “Monks, have you seen some cows going by here?”

“What cows?” the Buddha responded.

“Well,” the man said. “I have four cows and I don’t know why, but this morning they all ran away. 
I also have two acres of sesame. This year the insects ate the entire crop. I have lost everything: my harvest and my cows. 
I feel like killing myself.” 
The Buddha said, “Dear friend, we have been sitting here almost an hour and we have not seen any cows passing by. Maybe you should go and look in the other direction.” 

When the farmer was gone, the Buddha looked at his friends and smiled knowingly. “Dear friends, you are very lucky,” he said. “You don’t have any cows to lose.”

...
Taken from the book by Thich Nhat Hanh: No Mud, No Lotus. The Art of Transforming Suffering

Tags: Buddhism,Motivation,

You Will Never Doubt Yourself Again - Motivational Story

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One day, a lioness died, while giving birth to a cub.
At that time, a herd of sheep was passing by.
The lion cub joined the herd accidentally.
The sheep also thought him to be part of their herd.
And so, the cub was brought up by sheep.
While living with the sheep, the lion cub believed himself to be a sheep.
Since he was growing up among sheep.
So, it was natural for him to live like them.
He was living with the sheep, and believe that he was one of them.
He became vegetarian and started eating grass, with great joy.
He had no conception of what a lion was.
He had no idea, not even in his dreams, that he was a lion.
How could he have, all around him were sheep, and only sheep.
He had never roared like a lion.
He had never lived alone like a lion.
With the passage of time, the cub grew up.
Slowly, he became a beautiful and young lion.
The sheep became accustomed to him, just as he became accustomed to them.

But one day, while the herd of sheep was eating grass in a field.
Another lion, attacked their heart.
When he saw this young lion among the sheep, he could not believe his eyes.
He had never seen such a scene.
He was astonished to see a young lion grazing among the sheep.
Neither were the sheep afraid of him, nor were they aware that, a lion was in their midst.
Forgetting the intention of hunting a sheep.
The old lion decided to catch hold of the young lion, and find out what was happening.
The old lion, attacked the flock of sheep to capture the young lion.
Seeing him, all the sheep started running to save their lives.
The young lion, also ran away to save his life.

Although, the young lion ran very fast.
But the old lion somehow caught him.
The old lion said to him, you fool.
Why are you running away from me?
The young lion, was crying and trembling.
He said, please leave me.
I am a poor sheep, please let me go.
He was shivering with fear and bleating, like a sheep.
It did not take long to the old lion, to understand what was happening.
He dragged the young lion, to Ward a nearby lake.
The young lion resisted, and was reluctant to go.
He thought, he was being taken to his death.
He was crying and pleading.
But the old lion, would not let go, he forced him to the lake.

The lake was calm, like a mirror.
The old lion, made the young lion look into the water and said, look at my face and look at your face.
Look at my body and look at your body in the water.
The young lion, looked into the lake, with tearful eyes.
As he saw his reflection in the water, he was astonished.
For the first time, he realized, he did not look like a sheep.
But he looked like a lion.
In that instant, he understood the truth.
He was not a sheep, but a lion.
And within a second, a mighty roar, erupted from his throat.
Hearing his roar, the whole forest trembled.
The sheep scattered and disappeared, and a lion was born that day.

He was, a totally different being now.
He recognized, his true self.
His identification with the sheep, had been an illusion.
Just a mental concept.
Now, he had seen reality.
His strange energy, surged within him.
As if, it had always been dormant.
He felt, a tremendous power.
Living among the sheep, he had always been weak and humble.
But now, all that weakness, all that false humility, evaporated in an instant.

The story teaches us, a deep truth.
The young lion grew up among sheep.
And because of the environment around him.
He started believing that, he too was a sheep.
In the same way, many of us, spend our entire lives, carrying a false identity.
We live with people, who constantly doubt themselves.
And slowly, we also begin to think that, we are no different.
Their fears, become our fears.
Their weaknesses, become our weaknesses.
And without even realizing it.
We bury, our true strength, deep within.
Just think about, what undiscovered talents and abilities, could be lying, hidden within you.
You too could be a lion, surrounded by a bunch of sheep.
That are leading you, to believe that, you are much less than, you really are.
There will always be people around you, who will make you feel that, you cannot achieve anything great in your life.
And because, you live with them.
You start believing, the same lie, about yourself.

But the truth is, you are not weak, you are not ordinary.
Deep within you, lies a roar of strength, courage, and greatness.
That is, waiting to come out.
You have to stand out, from the crowd of such people.
And recognize, your true potential.
And the day, you recognize, the potential of that lion, within yourself.
No one in this world, will be able to stop you from rising, from achieving and from becoming, what you are destined to be.
So never let the world convince you that, you are less than, what you are.
Your true identity, is not weakness, or failure.
It is power, courage, and determination.
Awaken the lion, within you, and let the world, witness the power, courage.
And greatness, that was always hidden, inside you.

Tags: Buddhism,Video,Motivation,

Three Practices for Navigating Life’s Challenges

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Mahamudra and the Path Beyond Suffering: Removing, Transforming, and Transcending

In the Mahamudra tradition of meditation—often called the “Great Seal”—we begin with a profound view: the essence of all phenomena, of ourselves and others, is pure. This is sometimes called pure perception. At our core, each of us possesses a basic innate goodness.

Yet, despite this purity, we are often clouded by what Buddhist philosophy calls obscurations. These are layers of ignorance, craving, aversion, and other afflictions that prevent us from experiencing our true nature. Imagine the sky: vast, open, and unchanging. Clouds may pass through, sometimes thick and stormy, but they never alter the sky itself. Similarly, our innate goodness remains untouched, even when obscured.

The Five Kleishas: Roots of Suffering

Buddhist teachings describe five fundamental afflictions—called kleishas—that create suffering:

1. Ignorance – Not seeing reality clearly, mistaking impermanent conditions for permanent truths.

2. Aversion – Hatred, fear, or rejection of unwanted experiences.

3. Craving – Attachment, fixation, and endless grasping.

4. Pride – Inflated self-image or fragile self-esteem.

5. Jealousy – Resentment of others’ joy or success.

From these five roots, suffering branches out into countless forms: anxiety, panic, depression, loneliness, and disconnection.

For example, in my own life, I once experienced panic attacks. Ignorance made me believe they were permanent—that my life was doomed. Aversion made me fear the panic itself, creating a “panic about panic.” Craving arose as I desperately wished for a calm state of mind, which only intensified the struggle. Pride and jealousy joined in, as I compared myself with others who seemed happy and free. This web of kleishas amplified my suffering.

But the Mahamudra path offers a way through.

Three Techniques: Removing, Transforming, and Transcending

The lineage of Mahamudra practice teaches three approaches to working with kleishas:

1. Removing

At times, we need to change our behavior or environment directly.

• If your phone keeps you awake, remove it from your bedroom.

• If alcohol or smoking dominate your life, step into environments (such as rehab) where those triggers are absent.

On a mental level, this means cultivating the opposite of each kleisha:

• Replace ignorance with wisdom.

• Replace aversion with compassion.

• Replace craving with awareness of impermanence.

• Replace pride with humility and reflection.

• Replace jealousy with rejoicing in others’ happiness.

Removing isn’t about denial—it’s about skillfully clearing space to heal.

2. Transforming

Instead of resisting, we can turn poison into medicine. This is the practice of alchemy: obstacles become opportunities, pain becomes fuel for wisdom.

In my case, panic attacks transformed into supports for meditation. They became teachers of awareness, compassion, and presence. The very energy of suffering, when embraced, can reveal wisdom.

3. Transcending

At the deepest level, we look directly into the nature of suffering itself. Waves may rise and fall, but their essence is always water. Clouds may obscure, but their essence is space.

In the same way, the essence of panic, anger, jealousy, or depression is awareness, compassion, and wisdom. Seeing this directly, we transcend suffering—not by removing or changing it, but by recognizing its true nature.

This is liberation: when poison liberates itself, when suffering is no longer an obstacle but an expression of wisdom.

The Journey Forward

These three approaches—removing, transforming, transcending—are not rigid stages but complementary tools. Sometimes, removal is best. Sometimes, transformation is possible. At the deepest level, transcendence shows us that we were never separate from our own innate goodness.

Like learning any new skill, this path takes patience and practice. Step by step, we discover that our obscurations are temporary clouds, and our true nature is as vast and pure as the sky.

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Hum Your Way to Better Health: The 5-Minute Habit for a Happier Heart and Sharper Mind

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5 Key Takeaways

• Humming for 5-10 minutes daily can significantly improve heart and brain health.
• Humming increases nitric oxide release in the body, enhancing blood flow and oxygen circulation.
• This simple habit can boost alertness, mood, and promote relaxation by stimulating the vagus nerve.
• Humming is rooted in ancient traditions and now has scientific backing for its health benefits.
• It requires no special equipment or time commitment and can be easily incorporated into daily routines.

The Surprising 5-Minute Habit That Boosts Your Heart and Brain Health: Humming!
In our busy lives, we’re always looking for simple ways to stay healthy. While meditation and exercise are great, there’s an easy habit you might not have thought of that can do wonders for your heart and brain—humming! Yes, just humming for five to ten minutes a day can make a real difference to your health.
Why Humming Works
When you hum, your body naturally produces more of a gas called nitric oxide. This might sound technical, but it’s actually really important. Nitric oxide helps your blood vessels relax and widen, making it easier for blood to flow. In fact, research shows that humming can increase nitric oxide in your nose by up to 15 times compared to just breathing quietly!
Better blood flow means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, and your brain gets more oxygen. This can help you feel more alert, improve your memory, and even lift your mood. Some scientists also believe that the vibrations from humming can calm your nervous system, helping you relax and de-stress.
A Tradition Backed by Science
Humming isn’t new. Ancient cultures have used humming and chanting (like “Om”) for centuries to bring calm and balance. Now, modern science is showing us why these traditions work. The simple act of humming really does have a positive effect on our bodies and minds.
How to Add Humming to Your Day
The best part? Humming doesn’t need any special equipment or extra time. You can hum while you’re cooking, taking a shower, or even getting ready for bed. Start with just five minutes a day. If you enjoy it, you can go up to ten or fifteen minutes. The key is to do it regularly—your body will get better at making and using nitric oxide over time.
A Simple Step for Better Health
If you’re looking for a natural, easy way to support your heart and brain, give humming a try. It’s free, it’s relaxing, and it could help you feel better both mentally and physically. Of course, if you have any heart or breathing problems, check with your doctor before starting any new health habit.
So next time you’re feeling stressed or just want a quick health boost, remember: a little humming can go a long way!

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Navigating Middle Age: Heartfelt Advice for a Fulfilling Life with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

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Finding Balance in the Middle of Life

The middle of life can be one of the most stressful and confusing times we face. By now, many of us have moved out of our parents’ homes, begun our careers, and are caught in the whirlwind of responsibilities, deadlines, promotions, and competition—not only with colleagues but with entire companies. Alongside work, there’s the search for love, the quest for “Mr. Perfect” or “Mrs. Perfect,” and the desire to build a life that feels whole.

But here’s the truth: there is no such thing as Mr. or Mrs. Perfect. At best, we can hope to meet a “Mr. Okay” or “Mrs. Okay,” someone with whom we can share balance and growth. The search for perfection is exhausting; what we really need is balance.

The Three Styles of Drinking Water

I often use a simple example: imagine you want to drink water. There are three styles of doing it.

1. Too tight. You grip the cup as if your life depends on it. Your muscles are tense, and even lifting the cup becomes difficult. You may spill the water, and drinking it isn’t easy.

2. Too loose. You give up. The cup slips away. You procrastinate: “I’ll drink tomorrow.” The water remains untouched.

3. Balanced. You relax your hand, hold the cup naturally, and drink with ease.

Most people say they want the third style. But in practice, many of us live in the first or second style—either too tight or too loose. Balance is the key.

Finding Purpose in Work

How do we find this balance? It begins with purpose. Every profession—whether you are a doctor, engineer, teacher, businessperson, or salesperson—has meaning. Unless the work directly harms others, there is always a positive contribution.

What matters most is intention. Ask yourself: Through my work, how am I benefiting others? Even if your company doesn’t align fully with your values, you can still bring positive impact through your actions.

Results may not always match our efforts. Some days we succeed; other days we fall short. Life, like the stock market, goes up and down. The highs bring joy, but the lows bring growth. Problems can become solutions, and obstacles can open new opportunities.

If you face a wall in life, don’t only think of smashing through it. Maybe you can climb over, go around, or even find a new path altogether. Don’t give up—just let go of rigid expectations.

Managing Stress in Daily Life

Balance also means managing our time and energy. Stress grows when every day looks the same: home to office, office to home, the same road, the same routine. Life is impermanent, and change is natural. Bring small shifts into your daily life—take a new path to work, spend a weekend in nature, exercise, or simply rest.

Sleep is essential. Without proper rest, we risk becoming machines, living only for deadlines, promotions, and money. And when we lose touch with sunlight, friends, and family, we lose life itself.

Even five minutes of meditation—watching your breath, noticing sensations in your body, connecting with gratitude and compassion—can change your entire day.

Midlife Crisis and Transformation

Many people face a “midlife crisis,” a sense that everything they have done is useless, leading to the temptation to throw it all away. But changing your environment won’t help if you don’t transform inside. Stress will follow you wherever you go.

The real solution is to connect with your inner well-being—awareness, love, compassion, and wisdom. You don’t need to abandon your responsibilities or retreat into a monastery. Instead, integrate your spiritual practice into daily life.

Personally, I juggle many roles and projects, yet I find joy because my work connects to my heart. My meditation practice—formal in the mornings and informal throughout the day—helps me bring awareness and compassion into every task. That way, even in stress and challenges, there is contentment beneath the surface.

Closing Thoughts

Life in the middle years is intense. Careers, relationships, responsibilities, and crises all converge. But balance is possible.

• Don’t grip life too tightly or let it slip away.

• Find meaning in your work and intention in your actions.

• Embrace impermanence and allow for change in routine.

• Nurture your inner well-being through meditation, rest, and compassion.

Stress will come and go, but with balance, every obstacle becomes an opportunity to grow.

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Four things to remember on hard days

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Four things to remember on hard days.          

Number one.
Today is just a chapter of your life, not your whole life story.

Number two.
Focus on the things that you can control, not on the things you cannot.

Number three.
Sometimes, we just need a help, so don't be shy to ask for it.

And number four.
Always remember, there will be hard days, but they won't last forever.

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Why It Is OK To Have No Ambition In Life? (Buddhist Story)

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The bell rang. All the students ran to their classrooms and so did Zawa. It was Zawa's first day at school. He had never been to school before in his life. Zawa was 15 years old. He was born to a woodcutter, named Kayo. Both Zawa and Kayo lived on the hill. In his initial years, Zawa helped his father to cut the wood on the hilltops. This wood was sold in the city to run their family, and also to keep them warm in their hut.
Due to extreme poverty, Kayo could not afford to send his son to school, although he dreamt of it always. Zawa had always been helping his father and also learned the woodcutters' work. He was perfect to sharpen the ax and hit the tree at the right spots. He never had friends and never had been to the city. From his birth till now, he was only cutting trees and carrying wood.

One day, Kayo told Zawa about his plans to send him to school. What is a school? asked Zawa. Kayo laughed and pointed to the red building down the hill. That is a school and you will get education there. With education, you will become intelligent and find better work than this, replied Kayo. Not sure Zawa understood what his father meant, he just nodded a blank yes. He had no idea if there exists a better work than cutting and carrying wood, as he had never seen any, while living at the hilltop.

So one day Zawa was sitting in the classroom with all the new kids. The teacher entered the room and everyone greeted and respect. Zawa did as the others did. The teacher announced that today every student had to tell the whole class what their ambition in life was. Zawa had never heard the word ambition before in his life. He was just told by his father that he would learn something at school. So all the students got up one by one. Someone's ambition was to be a pilot and the other one wanted to be a doctor. Another one, again an engineer or a soldier and so on. But Zawa, he had no clue. When his turn came, he stood blank. The teacher asked Zawa what his ambition in life was and Zawa asked the teacher, teacher, what is ambition? The whole class burst out laughing. The teacher silenced the class and explained to Zawa that ambition was something that he wants to achieve in life, something that he wanted to do or something that he wants to become.

Zawa still stood blank. All his life he had chopped and carried wood. He had no idea that there was something called ambition in which he had to get something, which was supposed to be far from him as per the definition of ambition given to him. Zawa replied slowly, I don't have ambition. I cut wood and carry branches from hill trees with my father. We work during the day, eat in the evenings and sleep during the night. There is nothing more than that. I and my father achieve all that we plan in the morning by the night.

The whole class started laughing again. The teacher silenced the class again. Of course Zawa was not telling a lie and the children were just conditioned to laugh at anything that wasn't something that they knew. So the teacher told Zawa, you must have an ambition. Without ambition, you are a goalless person, an empty person, who is lacking any sense of direction. So Zawa went deep into thoughts. He stood blank. He couldn't understand why the teacher was asking him to imagine something, a goal or a destination. It made no sense to him. All his life, he thought that cutting wood in the morning and sleeping at night is all that there had to be done. There was nothing else to be done. And now he was being told that there was something else to be done, which had not been done yet and he must do it because he was born without it and he must get it.

The teacher continued. You have to walk the path Zawa. You have to work hard. If you continue to work hard, one day you will surely reach your destination. But Zawa asked, what road, what destination? The teacher got impatient. The road to your ultimate goal, your destination, your real home. Zawa thought to himself, why am I being asked to walk hard on a road to go to a place where I don't want to go? They call this place a goal, a destination. They think everyone must keep walking on that road to reach that place. But what if I do not want to reach my goal? What if I do not want to reach the destination? I don't even know how far it is. How do I know and if I reach there, how do I know that I am there? Do I sit and keep waiting or do I get bored and move beyond it or do I walk back to where I started. I don't feel I have to walk so far to a place which does not look any more beautiful than my hilltop house. Is it compulsory for everyone to walk to their goals? What about people who choose not to? Are they called directionless? But what does it matter if someone is already at his destination. Is that a horrible idea to be at your destination without walking a path of difficulty and pain? The students kept giggling as Zawa looked immersed in his thoughts. The teacher continued, Zawa, you don't have any goal? Yes, I do, Zawa replied suddenly. There was a big smile on the teacher's face. His student finally had gotten the message. So what is your ambition? What is your goal? What is your destination Zawa? The teacher asked with curiosity.

Zawa replied looking outside of the window, as if a deep imagination was going on in his mind. He said, I want to cut the wood in the morning, drink my tea in the evening and sleep at night. And the teacher said, no, that is not an ambition Zawa, because you are already doing it. Zawa replied, yes, isn't that great, because I have already reached my destination. The teacher got angry and dismissed the class. Zawa looked confused and unanswered. That night Zawa told his father Kayo what had happened at school. Father, we are cutting the wood from the trees which are already there, but the school is telling me to cut the wood from the trees which are not there. They are asking everyone to first grow a tree, wait for it to grow up and then cut the wood, something which we are doing right now without growing one. Kayo laughed at the intelligent feedback of such a simple question. He asked Zawa how he felt about his life. Zawa was happy, chopping wood because that is all he had done. He found satisfaction and happiness in his work. But the new word at school, called ambition, was supposed to be telling him that happiness and satisfaction were not to be felt so easily, but after a lot of hard work and pain. You can never be already at your goal at the start of your life and calmness is always to be away from you and you must walk that path to reach those feelings, only to realize that when you reach there, there isn't anything there and you could have all those feelings from any point in your journey or without a journey itself.

Tell them what they want to hear Zawa. They also have ambitions to be successful teachers, Kayo said laughingly and left his son alone to ponder his thoughts at night on the hilltop. The next day at school, Zawa was the first student to continue from where the teacher had finished the day before. I thought about it and I feel I want to be a doctor, said Zawa. The teacher gave a big smile and clapped for Zawa, as he took his seat and the class continued. Zawa looked out of the window. He saw it was raining and great clouds growled in the sky. The clouds never moved in one direction, they just moved. The rain did not fall in any direction, it just rained. The grass didn't grow in any pattern, it just grew. None of these elements in nature looked as if they had a plan. They were just being themselves, true to their real nature. Then he saw a gardener cutting the grass into a beautiful design to give it a shape. He realized that humans couldn't live with nature without changing it.

And humans themselves are a part of that nature, ironically. You see in life, in your life, is there really a path for you to walk? Is there a goal for you to reach? Are you cutting the grass in a design or are you just letting the grass of life grow? Are you letting the rain of life rain? Are you letting the tree of life grow? It's okay to have ambitions and it's okay to be happy where you are right now. Life is continuously evolving. New things are discovered, new ways of life are discovered everyday, every second in this universe. 

Thank you so much for reading and stay blessed.

Burnt Toast: This Simple Monastery Lesson Fixed My Quarter-Life Crisis (Buddhist Story)

All Buddhist Stories

There was a young man, 25, who came to stay at our monastery. He wasn't religious, he told me that right away, as if he needed to make sure I didn't try to convert him. 
    
I am not here for God, he said. I'm just tired. Everything feels off. He had one of those tech jobs, remote, well-paid, lots of perks. But he talked like someone whose soul had been evicted from his body. 
    
I used to be excited, he told me on his second day. Now I wake up with this weight, like I'm late for something I can't name. 

On his third morning, he burnt his toast. We have an old wood-fired toaster here. No buttons, no tech, just you, the fire, and your attention. He forgot it for a few seconds too long, and when he pulled it out, it was pitch black, charred. 

He stared at it, like he'd just failed some unspoken exam. Then he started aggressively scraping it with the edge of his spoon, sighing under his breath. He kept muttering: Stupid toaster, stupid. 

I watched him for a moment. Then I said: Eat it. He stopped. What? Eat it, don't fix it. Just taste it. He looked at me like I was joking. I wasn't. He took a bite reluctantly. Then another. His face twisted. He chuckled awkwardly and said: It's awful. I nodded. Yeah, but it's yours. He looked at me, unsure. 

I asked: Why are you really here? 
He paused, and then he said: Because I think I messed up. My job, my relationships, my 20s. I look around and everyone else seems to know where they are going. And I am just burnt out. I feel like I missed the window. 

I said: You're trying to scrape your life back to something that doesn't exist. You think if you fix it enough, edit your past, clean up the regrets, it'll taste the way you want it. But life doesn't work that way. He was quiet. 

I continued: What if the goal isn't to make it perfect? What if the goal is to taste it as it is, and learn what you want different next time? He didn't respond, but something in him softened. The next morning, he burnt his toast again, on purpose. Ate it slowly, no spoon, no scraping, then he smiled, just a little. 

Before he left, he said: I think I've been so obsessed with getting everything right, that I forgot life isn't the final draft, it's just breakfast, over and over. You burn some, you get better. 

I said: Exactly. You see in life, in your life, perfection isn't the point, presence is. Stop scraping your past, taste what's here, and let each burnt moment teach you how to cook the next morning better. 

Thank you so much for reading, and stay blessed.