Zen Dialogues

Reflections from Japan's Buddhist Traditions

Please tell me some words to support you.

I'm a nurse, and I'm looking for words that patients can recite over and over again when they have a hard time with anxiety or fear. It is difficult for that patient to memorize all of the sutras, so please tell me if there are any words in the sutras that are easy to repeat and support. I...

5 responses

How to deal with top-down bosses and colleagues who have decreased motivation

I am in charge of leading a major project in the post of manager. Starting this year, department managers have been replaced due to personnel changes, and people who are very assertive have arrived. They don't adopt the opinions of their subordinates, and they only give instructions to finish...

5 responses

My own helplessness is painful

Hello. It's been 10 years since he became mentally ill. There are waves, but it wasn't until the 10th year that I was able to do things around me to a certain extent. Every day, I live my life vaguely, as if I were in a dream. I was bedridden for a few years after the onset of the...

5 responses

Can you change your personality?

I'm in a management position, but I'm not good at expressing my own opinions. Probably because of that, even if it's not my fault, it's my own fault, and I often struggle. They seemed to lack confidence, and they quickly apologized. If you don't change things, you'll start to hate...

5 responses

Shouldn't you name your child with inspiration

The baby will be born in about a month. The gender is boy. There is a name I really want to give my child. It's not a so-called sparkling name or trendy name; rather, it's an old-fashioned name. However, when asked why they want that name and what kind of thoughts are put into it, they...

5 responses

About protests against politics

There have been recent protests over the “right to collective self-defense,” such as self-immolation in Shinjuku and protests at the Prime Minister's Office. In terms of Buddhism, there is an image of “not going against the flow,” but it makes me wonder whether the current trend is on the side...

5 responses

How to refuse solicitation from emerging religions?

I've always been interested in religion, so whether Christian or Buddhist, when I had connections with emerging religions, I received materials and listened to stories. However, since neither denomination could have absolute certainty, they never joined the faith. Among them, an old friend is...

5 responses

Can't people with disabilities become monks?

My son is 18 years old and graduated from high school this year at Kyoto Shogoin I received the Tokudo ceremony and became a monk But I can't find a temple that would accept me because of my disability I want to somehow be able to live alone while I'm well

5 responses

Family temple at my parents' house

Thank you for always being there. My parents' family temple is a Nichiren sect, and they chant the Lotus Sutra on Buddhist altars. However, as I ask questions here, I've started listening to stories about the Heart Sutra and listening to Zen stories. Is it OK to come into contact with...

5 responses

An old lover has passed away, and I can't sort out my feelings.

An old lover has passed away. It seems that he had been battling illness for over a year, and during that time I spent my time not knowing anything. I was only in a relationship with my lover 6 years ago for about 3 months, but she was a wonderful person, just like my ideal. We met several...

5 responses

What were you born for?

Hi I've always been raised strictly by my parents. When I was young, I just listened to what was said and concentrated on being nice. Recently, however, I often feel that what my parents are saying is incorrect, and even when I try to tell them “that is wrong,” I end up breaking up and...

5 responses

An easy way to identify denominations

I have many opportunities to talk with bereaved families due to my work, and I am very worried that I will misunderstand the deceased's denomination at that time and the content of the conversation will be misunderstood. I think there are many denominations, but for example, if the Buddhist...

5 responses

My marriage between an irreligious person and an emerging religious believer

Hello, thank you for your support. There were a lot of things with my boyfriend who was 6 years younger, whom I met through a work-related relationship, and we finally started talking about marriage. I was very happy about that, but when I came here, I was very puzzled to hear that he...

5 responses

Is it possible to change the denomination of my parents' temple

My parents' house is a temple, but I'm the heir. The sect is the Rinzai sect. I have 2 questions. ① Is it possible to change the sect within the Rinzai sect from the Daitokuji school to the Myoshinji school, Shokokuji school, etc. ② Is it possible to change from Rinzai sect to Soto sect?

5 responses

painful jealousy or jealousy, friend marriage, pregnancy, childbirth

Nice to meet you. I'm a 29-year-old single woman. It's really painful, so please let me talk to you. A close friend of mine decided to get married. I haven't had a boyfriend in a long time. Also, my friend hasn't had a boyfriend for a long time, so we did marriage hunting together and...

5 responses

I don't understand the difference between overdoing it and trying hard

I can't move like a human if I don't do many times better than people, so it's no good to overdo things around me a lot, right? They say, but even if I overdo it, I don't think I'll be able to do it unless I do it; the process is bad, and it's a mess. How should I do things without overdoing it?

5 responses

I've started to hate going to school lately.

It's been a while. It's here. Recently, I've started to hate going to college. There aren't any issues such as special bullying, etc., but for some reason I don't want to go there. Also, for some reason it's depressing when I'm in school. When I wake up in the morning, I usually get ready,...

5 responses

Contradictions in ways of thinking

Thank you for your support before. There was something I wanted to ask again this time, so I'm bothering you. I'm not very good at socializing, and basically I live my life while keeping a constant distance from everyone. I wonder if tomorrow there will be people who don't want to be liked or...

5 responses

sickness

I've been feeling unwell since I was over 30. If you think that one disease has finally been cured, another illness will be discovered. All of them are illnesses that interfere with daily life, but since they look healthy, I sometimes have trouble getting involved with people around me, and no...

5 responses

I can't find the value of being alive

Nice to meet you, please. I'm quick to lie about even the smallest things. Even if I want to stop, I don't have confidence in myself, so I can't even talk to people if I don't lie to myself. What's more, I quickly disliked my job, and they just lied and explained to my parents who live with...

5 responses

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