1

How I wish that every word and every article I write is filled with the fragrance of a soft heart; every action I take is like the petals of a lotus, gentle. And stretch.

Because I firmly believe that when a writer writes, every line he draws has the involvement of his personality.

2

Zen Master Dogen, the founder of Soto Sect in Japan, is said to have sailed to China to seek Zen. He came empty-handed and left empty-handed, only to find a soft heart.

This is a touching story. Many people believe that Zen Master Dogen went to China to seek a soft heart and brought a soft heart back to Japan. In fact, this is not the case. The soft heart is inherent in Zen Master Dogen, and even in everyone. However, if Dogen had not gone through thousands of miles of waves and had not gone to China to seek Zen, his inherent soft heart would not have been developed.

A soft heart does not come from outside, but sometimes it is inspired by outside.

3

If people who learn Zen do not have a soft heart, Zen is just a philosophy, no different from existentialism.

A soft heart is not mud like thin mud. A soft heart has an inclusive view. It transcends everything and tolerates everything.

A soft heart is like a lotus flower, which opens because compassion makes mud for water and wisdom.

4

Someone asked me: "Why can plants and trees grow, bloom, and bear fruit naturally without a care in the world, but people who have a care in the world can't live so carefree?"

I asked back: "You are not a grass or a tree, how do you know that a grass and a tree are heartless? You said that people have a heart, but where is the human heart? If the grass and trees are really heartless, if people reach the state of being heartless, of course they can live without worries. Live your life. "

The word "fan" in "ordinary people" means that there is an extra heart in the middle. There is no difference between a strong and hard-to-change heart and a soft and gentle heart.

People with a soft heart can still compare their hearts to their own, even if they are facing plants and trees, and can meet them sincerely.

5

A hunter chasing a deer cannot see the mountains, and a fisherman cannot see the sea.

People who only see deer and fish in their eyes cannot see the real landscape, just like people who only see fame, wealth, power and status can never see their true soul.

If you want to see mountains, your soft heart should be as vast as a mountain; if you want to see the sea, your soft heart should be as broad as the sea.

Because it is soft, it can accommodate everything and cover everything.

6

If a person is not knocked down when he encounters great doubts, chaos, suffering, and tribulations in life, he will naturally transcend them and gain "concentration." Because of concentration, one can gain clarity, and from clarity, one can become soft.

In softness, people can be harmonious and simple, and then achieve the unity of consciousness.

The most lacking thing in Yehu Zen and mantra is a soft heart. Zen practitioners with a soft heart will not make any distinctions and will not belittle the Pure Land, Tantra, or all sects, or even all sentient beings.

7

When there is desire, there is anger; when there is anger, there is trouble.

A soft heart makes the fire of desire gentle and even dissipate. When the fire of desire dissipates, it is Bodhi.

The switch from worry to bodhi is a soft heart.

8

The Buddha taught us to save all living beings, but did not teach us to be harsh on all living beings. If we want to save sentient beings, we should have no harsh demands on sentient beings in our hearts and should only be obedient. If sentient beings can be harshly demanded, they will not become sentient beings.

To be obedient means not to harbor any hatred even among people full of hatred.

To be obedient means to remain a light as the world full of darkness turns.

To be obedient is to see any sentient being suffering as if you are suffering yourself.

Being obedient is the practice of a soft heart, and it is also the incense lit by a soft heart.

——Excerpted from the works of Lin Qingxuan

"In this hard world, cultivate a soft heart"