Contents Preface .xi The Venerable Master Hsuan Hua xv
February 1978 An untapped natural resource 1 Good that you didníªt take a shortcut 2 Straight and wholesome 3 The highest form of martial arts 4 A Buddhist Flora 5 There are no shortcuts or bargains 8 Like drilling wood to make a fire 10 Tears are useless 12 The Monk in the Grave did not come here in vain 13 It uses words but soon leaves words behind 18 Thatíªs how we get psyched-up! 19 The man on the street corner in Russia 20 Youíªre on the path, Don 22 Until itíªs coming out of my ears 25 What a Bodhimanda! 27 Highway 1 is out of the question 28 They become like mice, hiding in the closet 31
March 1978 The root cause of suffering 33 No wonder you caníªt meditate 35 You protect my Dharma, Iíªll protect yours 39 A retreat is an advance 41 Thatíªs how he found you 41 Growing mushrooms under the seats 42 Returning it could ease my mind 43 Everything is on loan from the universe 45 You guys areníªt very evangelistic, are you? 47 Weíªve been looking for you all weekend 50 The entire world seems identical 53 Mountain goblins and the water sprites 55 Big, black and white 56 Letíªs bring Papa Joe home 58 Filiality is basic to being a person 63 Natureíªs first law 69 The supreme medical student 70 The antithesis of the castle 72 They doníªt make them like they used to 74 I was afraid I missed you 77 I will be good to all the worldíªs children 80 True giving is without a mark 80 Extremely lucky to have good parents 81 Give me the mountains any day 82 Feeling the Masteríªs presence 87 Cabrillo Highway 88 There is no fixed way to get to the City 88 As you grow older, grow stronger 91 An elegant woman out of nowhere 92 You may not fight with anyone 94 Iíªll demonstrate my independence over birth and death 95 Because we remember 100 Not ordinary people 101 The axis of cultivation 109 Doníªt seek anything 110 At peace, at home 114 A place to transcend the world 115 Worshipping the rocks 119 Monks have gotten by for centuries 120 Teach me, huh? Cíªmon, do it again 122 No, itíªs my karma 123 Ugly, slow moving bugs 125 Not knowing what he could do until he tried 126 The stinking carcass that was a tool 128 A knock on his head 129 Getting past the prickly spines 130 An oasis in the desert 131 Another kind of poverty 133 I need to get away 135 He looked up and saw a bright star 137 Little wheel spins, big wheel turns 137 The new religion of the world 139 Keep your room clean and orderly 140 Trained to be skeptical scientific doubters 142 Every inch is used 143 We know so little 144 Kuo Chouíªs test 144
April 1978 The Buddhaíªs Dharma-rain 147 The biggest event in U.Shistory 150 The world needs hundreds of cities like it 154 Universal brotherhood and beyond 157 Trust your feelings out here, not your thinking 158 Like they were museum exhibits 161 I should have calluses on my knees 163 Business done 163 In the future, he will be able to cultivate 164 The flood washes the stones away 167 When to talk, and when not to 168 The endlessly grasping mind 169 Where itíªs peaceful and calm 171 Able to contain all beings 172 The only sensible thing to do with them 173 This is just too fine! 176 Gentleman, your license plate is out of date 179 Bowed into a Chinese landscape painting 181 Leaving your door open 182 Have his vocal cords frozen? 184 The í-Monkíª from Spain 185 A quality of virtue that set him apart 190 The most dangerous thing Iíªve had to face 191 Whatíªs a Buddha-thought? 193 By practicing great giving 194 The dish looks suspiciously like dog food
