Zen Dialogues

Reflections from Japan's Buddhist Traditions

Is it OK to hurt myself if I don't have malice

My mother-in-law, who lives with me, is probably a nice person, but she doesn't give enough consideration to words and actions; for example, she only says “it's small” even when buying a new car, treats photos of me and my grandson sloppily where I can see them, and when my biological father...

3 responses

Past lives

If there is reincarnation If that person dies, what will happen to people in previous lives? Also, what will happen to people in this world?

3 responses

I want to be comfortable

I feel like everything is crap lately. I hate myself. I failed both my high school entrance exam and my college entrance exam. My friends can't believe it either. I don't know what makes me happy and alive. I'm currently attending nursing school, but I can't help but want to quit. Even...

3 responses

Do the effects of mantras fade over time?

I always chant mantras such as Komyo Shingon and Fudo Myoo for about 15 minutes before going to school, but do the effects of mantras fade over time? Also, they often bite when reciting mantras, but do unfortunate things such as curses occur as a result?

3 responses

I haven't understood “normal” the whole time

I'm embarrassed by my disorganized worries, but since I can remember, it's been floating somewhere, or rather, I'm not familiar with my surroundings. There's no such thing at all, like because they were born into an exceptionally rich family and are far from the world, or because they are...

4 responses

I often dream about my deceased parents.

Thank you for your support. I often dream about my deceased parents. My father passed away 8 years ago and my mother 4 years ago. From where I live now, my parents' house takes less than 3 hours by car, and until a few years ago, I went back 2 to 3 times a year to put my hands on the Buddhist...

4 responses

I can't come to terms with my heart

Now, while working as a general employee, I am performing as a guest in a theater company at a small theater. There is a theater company that uses me almost regularly, and I have decided to re-perform the program I was allowed to perform in before. Before the start of practice, the presiding...

4 responses

About the future, changing jobs, and moving

I'm 30 years old, and I live at home in a rural area. My current job isn't really bad, but I'm filled with the feeling that I want to quit. This is because there is a group LINE at work, and they are contacted even on days off. It's fine if it's just a contact, but there are times when...

3 responses

Is it this hard to live day by day

I think it's really difficult to live every day. I've been reminded every day since I became a member of society. I think it would be so difficult to maintain the status quo. If you let your guard down even for a moment, stop, or turn backwards, it feels like falling off a cliff. The world is...

3 responses

The job change is not going well

Hello. Now I'm in my 20s living at my parents' house in Tohoku and working as a health care worker. My hobby is going to recommended concerts, and since it's hard to go on an expedition every time, I decided to take the plunge and live in Tokyo. Well, there's also a reason why power...

3 responses

What should I do when I have a lot to hold

I'm a college student now, and I have a lot of things, I don't know what to do, and I want to throw them out every day. In club activities, I have to manage a tournament that my university is supposed to host this year, and even when I think about what and how to do well, I don't understand,...

3 responses

I want to be able to proceed with things calmly.

I'm indebted to you. Currently, this is my 3rd year working as a sales person. Until now, it has often been said to be relatively excellent, but after a failure in a project, I lost my confidence, and recently I have been in a state of lethargy and laziness. I'm doing the minimum work, but I...

3 responses

Please tell me a scary story

I always ask questions, and I enjoy reading it. Hello. It's all of a sudden, but in my house, it's always been better than my mother “I'm an ascetic even though my school excursion used to be at a temple (on a certain mountain) and it was completely dark at night and I couldn't see anything? I...

3 responses

If I do Zen and become mindless, when should I think about it?

Hello, I would like to ask a question for the first time. I often hear that at temples such as Zen Buddhism, people meditate for hours every day. But if you spend hours doing Zen every day, when will you think about the world? As the monk answered this question, I wonder if a monk needs...

3 responses

I don't know what to do from now on

Remembering painful things from the past makes it painful. After that, I have a strong feeling that I want people to acknowledge me, and I don't really understand myself anymore. I don't know if there are parts where I'm not satisfied with the current situation, but I feel depressed. Of course, I...

3 responses

Should I continue my current romantic relationship

I have been dating a girlfriend for about 6 years. At first, I fell in love with them at first sight, and I'm really thankful that they went out with me. We've been living together ever since we started dating, went from being students to working adults together, and have been together until...

3 responses

Should they disappear if they can't play a role in society?

26 years old, 4th year working adult. Mistakes and lack of confirmation overlapped at work, and I wasn't able to work well in my previous department, and after getting sick and taking a leave of absence for 1 month, I was transferred to another department. Looking back, I often think “I could...

3 responses

I want to listen to puja stories that are easy for children to understand during memorial services

I'm indebted to you. It's been almost 1 year since my husband passed away. I still can't sort out my feelings. The months and days are just passing by. Every time, I read a lot of content here, and it's a day where I calm my mind. This time, I will celebrate my first anniversary. At that...

3 responses

About the monk's sutra posture and breathing

I'm an ordinary housewife, but I use the Heart Sutra app to read the Heart Sutra to relax my mind and body. So the question is, when monks read sutras, do they meditate or sit in the right position? Also, when you inhale, do you do it through your nose or through your mouth? Thank you for your...

3 responses

How to become a monk

After taking care of my father, my sister began to want to be a monk. She was a kind child, and there were times when she was mentally unstable, but it seems like she always wanted to be a monk. I heard that I couldn't talk about it due to issues such as nursing care, etc., and I thought it...

3 responses

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