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The Quiet Path of My Father

linda changLeave a comment
Man walking barefoot indoors holding steaming coffee cup at sunrise

The children always remembered the way their father moved through the house in the early morning — not rushing, not dragging, but walking with a quiet steadiness, as if each step were placed with intention. The soft shuffle of his feet, the gentle clearing of his throat, the way he paused at the doorway to look at the sky before beginning the day — all of it felt like a small ceremony, a reminder that life was something to be met with presence.

He never taught them compassion through words. He taught it through the way he lived.

When a neighbor’s roof began to leak during the winter rains, he didn’t sigh or complain about the inconvenience. He simply gathered his tools, wiped the mist from his glasses, and said, “Come with me. Let’s see how we can help.” The children watched him climb the ladder slowly, carefully, as if he were ascending a sacred path. The cold wind tugged at his jacket, the shingles were slick beneath his hands, but he worked with a calm focus that made the moment feel almost holy. When he patched the leak and the dripping finally stopped, he smiled — not because he wanted praise, but because someone’s burden had become lighter.

Man sweating while fixing car engine with tools, children looking concerned

Another time, when an elderly man’s car refused to start in the heat of summer, their father knelt beside the engine with the same tenderness he used when holding a newborn. The children stood nearby, watching the sweat bead on his forehead as he listened to the engine’s uneven breaths. “Machines speak too,” he told them softly. “You just have to listen with patience.” When the engine finally roared back to life, the old man’s eyes filled with relief. Their father simply nodded, wiped his hands on a rag, and whispered, “May your road be smooth.”

The children didn’t understand it then, but he was teaching them the Dharma in the language of everyday life. He was showing them how to see suffering without turning away, how to offer help without expecting anything in return, how to move through the world with a heart that stayed open even when life was heavy.

As they grew older, they began to feel the weight of those lessons in their own bones.

One became a teacher who stayed after school to help students who felt invisible. She remembered the way her father listened — fully, without judgment — and she tried to offer her students that same refuge. Another became a nurse who held trembling hands in the quiet hours of the night. He remembered how his father breathed slowly, steadily, even when the work was hard, and he learned to be a calm presence for others. The youngest created a community program that helped families rebuild their lives. She remembered the way her father patched roofs and revived engines, and she understood that healing often begins with the smallest acts of care.

They didn’t choose these paths because their father told them to. They chose them because they had lived their whole lives watching him turn compassion into action, moment by moment, breath by breath.

Years passed. The children grew into adults who carried their father’s teachings in the way they spoke, the way they listened, the way they offered themselves to the world. And their father, now older, watched them with a quiet pride that softened his eyes.

On Father’s Day, they gathered around him. His hair had turned silver, his hands were rough from decades of work, but his presence was still steady — like a lantern that had guided them through every dark season.

“Dad,” the eldest said, her voice trembling, “everything we do… everything we’ve become… it’s because of you.”

He shook his head gently, the way he always did when he felt gratitude but didn’t want praise.

“I only showed you the path,” he whispered. “You walked it yourselves.”

But the children knew the truth.

He had given them more than shelter. More than guidance. More than love.

He had given them a way of seeing the world — a way rooted in compassion, patience, and the belief that every act of kindness sends ripples far beyond what the eye can see.

And as they sat with him that Father’s Day, surrounded by the warmth of everything he had nurtured, they realized something too:

The seeds he planted had grown into a forest — a living testament to the quiet, powerful love of a father who taught not through words, but through the gentle, unwavering example of a life lived with an open heart.

A man with two children walking on a forest path glowing mushrooms lighting the way

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2026/06/18/the-quiet-path-of-my-father/

Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony at Hua Zang Si Highlights a Shared Hope for Peace and Renewal

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Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony at Hua Zang Si Highlights a Shared Hope for Peace and Renewal


Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony at Hua Zang Si

Highlights a Shared Hope for Peace and Renewal

San Francisco Post Contributor  June 3, 2026

Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony at Hua Zang Si Highlights a Shared Hope for Peace and Renewal
Photo Courtesy: Hua Zang Si (Abbess Ruzun Ruohui presided over the Bathing the Buddha ceremony at Hua Zang Si Temple.)

Communities across California came together this May to celebrate the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha, a Buddhist observance increasingly embraced in the United States. A public Bathing the Buddha ceremony was held at Hua Zang Si Temple in San Francisco on May 24, welcoming visitors from diverse backgrounds and faith traditions. Guided by Ruzun Ruohui, Abbess of Hua Zang Si and Hongfa Temple, the ceremony invited the public to experience the Buddhist tradition rooted in reflection, kindness, and goodwill.

Temple bells and steady drumbeats signaled the start of the ceremony as monastics chanted the Bathing the Buddha Praise and the Heart Sutra. At Hua Zang Si Temple, the Bathing the Buddha Ceremony unfolded with solemnity. The Main Hall had been meticulously prepared, with offerings arranged in harmonious order before the Buddha. Ritual instruments and resonant chanting deepened the sense of devotion. Participants then stepped forward in an orderly line to bathe the infant Buddha statue, gently pouring fragrant water over the statue with a pure and reverent mind, an act of renewal that encourages practitioners to release agitation and cultivate compassion.

Photo Courtesy: Hua Zang Si (Abbess Ruzun Ruohui poured fragrant water over the infant Buddha Gautama statue with a ritual ladle.)

For many, the ritual carried deeply personal meaning. Everett Docherty from Chico, California, said he strongly encouraged others to attend Dharma Assemblies at Hua Zang Si. Peter Sullivan, a longtime San Francisco resident, shared that the chanting and atmosphere brought him a sense of peace and uplift. He expressed sincere gratitude for the warmth and hospitality extended by the temple’s monastics and volunteers, noting that their kindness made him feel genuinely welcomed and cared for.

According to the 2026 Global Internal Displacement Report, more than 82 million people were displaced by conflicts in 2025. Against this backdrop of global turmoil, the prayers offered during the ceremony were dedicated not only to personal well-being but also to peace, safety, and relief for all who suffer.

Photo Courtesy: Hua Zang Si (Participants bathed the infant Buddha statue in an orderly procession.)

Organizers emphasized that Buddha’s Birthday is both a cultural celebration and a call to bring compassion into everyday life, welcoming people of all walks of life to explore Buddhist traditions. Temple representatives further encouraged participants to carry the purity and compassion cultivated through the Bathing the Buddha ritual into their daily conduct, allowing wholesome thoughts to inspire wholesome actions. They encouraged practitioners to uphold the authentic Dharma taught by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Shakyamuni Buddha to benefit all beings. The ceremony serves as a reminder that in honoring the Buddha’s boundless grace, one should remain steadfast in Buddha’s teachings, spread the true Dharma, and cultivate oneself for the benefit of both self and others.

Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony at Hua Zang Si Highlights a Shared Hope for Peace and Renewal

Source: https://sanfranciscopost.com/buddha-s-birthday-ceremony-at-hua-zang-si-highlights-a-shared-hope-for-peace-and-renewal/

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiidharma.com/2026/06/08/buddhas-birthday-ceremony-at-hua-zang-si-highlights-a-shared-hope-for-peace-and-renewal/

#H.H.DorjeChangBuddhaIII  #ShakyamuniBuddha #HuaZangSi #HuaZangSiTemple #BathingtheBuddha #Buddha’sBirthday #AuthenticDharma #RuzunRuohui

Revealing the Truth — A Book That Inspires Deep Self-Reflection

linda changLeave a comment

Revealing the Truth is not merely a collection of Buddhist stories. The book chronicles the personal experiences of a Buddhist nun over twelve years, from 2001 to 2013, while cultivating at the holy home base of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

Through many real-life experiences, the book quietly reveals the compassion, wisdom, and holiness of Dorje Chang Buddha III, while also helping disciples reflect deeply on whether their own cultivation truly aligns with Buddhist teachings.

What makes this book especially valuable is its sincerity. The stories are not distant theories or abstract teachings, but vivid experiences from everyday life — moments of hardship, karmic tests, spiritual awakening, and personal reflection. As readers follow these experiences, they are naturally led to examine themselves:

Are my thoughts truly compassionate?
Are my words beneficial to others?
Are my actions aligned with the Dharma?
Am I sincerely cultivating, or merely following forms outwardly?

In today’s busy and distracted world, Revealing the Truth serves not only as an inspiring spiritual record, but also as a mirror for sincere cultivators seeking genuine inner transformation.

Among the many fascinating stories in the book, I would like to share one particularly miraculous and thrilling incident.

One day, several disciples accidentally ate a deadly poisonous wild herb after mistaking it for edible Chinese kale. Within minutes, those who had tasted the vegetables began suffering severe dizziness, numbness, blurred vision, and loss of bodily control. Some collapsed to the ground, their faces turning pale gray as though life itself were slipping away.

When H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III learned what had happened, he immediately recognized the herb as the highly poisonous “Yizhihao,” warning that even a tiny amount could be fatal. Seeing five disciples hovering between life and death, he urgently instructed everyone to induce vomiting. At beginning, none of them could do that. Then, with great solemnity, he snapped his fingers in blessing and loudly called upon the Dharma protectors to rescue the poisoned disciples and restore their consciousness.

What happened next astonished everyone present. Almost immediately, the poisoned disciples began vomiting repeatedly, expelling the toxins from their bodies. Though completely exhausted afterward, all five ultimately survived safely.

Stories like this are what make Revealing the Truth so unforgettable. Beyond the mystery and drama, readers can deeply feel the compassionate care extended toward disciples and the profound spiritual power revealed through ordinary life situations.

Perhaps this is why the book continues to leave such a deep impact on sincere readers — because beneath every story lies a reminder to cultivate more truthfully, more humbly, and more sincerely on the path of liberation.

If you are looking for a book that doesn’t just tell you about Buddhism, but shows you how it breathes in the real world, Revealing the Truth is your next essential read.

The paper copies of the book are available at Buddhist temples or can be purchased online at Amazon.

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2026/05/12/revealing-the-truth-a-book-that-inspires-deep-self-reflection/

How Karam’s Little Leaders Shapes Early Leadership Through Intentional Family Engagement

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Daniel Fusch Contributor March 13, 2026, 2:03 p.m. ET

Audra and Matt Karam have spent many years listening to families and observing how children grow within their everyday environments. Through this work, they began to notice subtle gaps between what parents hoped to nurture in their children and the types of guidance available to support that growth in daily life. Their shared response eventually took shape as Karam’s Little Leaders, a family-centered initiative designed to help parents bring leadership principles into early childhood in a way that feels engaging and supportive.

As they continued these conversations with families, a clearer picture emerged. “We’ve been noticing how childhood development is evolving as family routines change, parents juggle more on their plates, and awareness grows around how early experiences may shape later behavior. So many parents tell us they want to raise thoughtful, capable kids, and they’re often looking for guidance that doesn’t feel overwhelming,” Audra says. 

This need becomes even more apparent when viewed within the broader landscape. A KPMG report shows that many parents experience significant work disruptions due to childcare challenges, often forcing them to miss work or reduce their hours. “Families are looking for guidance that fits into real life, something that honors their limited time while still supporting healthy development,” Matt states. He adds that it’s a reminder of how valuable it is to have programs that bring parents and children together, strengthening skills through shared moments rather than separate activities.

It was within this context that Karam’s Little Leaders took shape. The program integrates leadership principles into short animated stories, hands-on activities, and guided family conversations. By using Black Belt Bruce, a friendly character as a narrative guide, the curriculum aligns with research showing that storytelling and imaginative play help young children internalize abstract ideas. Audra explains, “Children connect deeply with stories. When a lesson feels like an adventure, it becomes something they want to revisit, not something they feel directed to complete.”

Building on this foundation, the Karams’ approach also reflects insights from developmental psychology that introduce concepts in manageable ways that gradually expand as children grow. Their curriculum introduces core character skills early and revisits them through different lenses over time, allowing understanding to mature alongside the child. 

Alongside developmental considerations, the Karams also paid close attention to the emotional needs of parents themselves. They recognized that many parents, especially during the early childhood years, look for reassurance that their choices align with their values and long‑term hopes for their children.

This theme reflects not only what families express today but also what longstanding national guidance has underscored for years. The Karams note that leaders have emphasized that strong early‑childhood programs must be built on meaningful partnerships with families. For instance, a joint policy statement from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (ED) reaffirms this long‑held position, noting that effective programs consistently honor parents’ beliefs, cultural values, and aspirations for their children. The guidance stresses that families thrive when they feel supported, not judged, and when they receive clear, practical tools that strengthen their confidence during periods of rapid developmental change. This enduring perspective reinforces the importance of approaches that meet families where they are and offer tools that feel both respectful and manageable.

Black Belt Bruce

Amid this landscape, Karam’s Little Leaders positions itself as a supportive partner, offering parents language and routines that encourage reflection without judgment. The program’s design acknowledges that children observe adult behavior closely, reinforcing the idea that leadership habits develop through shared modeling.

The Karams note that group participation and gentle, positive feedback may help young children feel more engaged. At the same time, a supportive parental community might contribute to a sense of accountability and encouragement. With this in mind, they are exploring ways for families to feel more connected, aiming for an experience that could extend beyond individual lessons and nurture a shared sense of purpose.

Another influence on the program comes from the Karams’ background in martial arts. By translating core martial arts principles into a home‑based format, the Karams preserved the spirit of mentorship while adapting it to the rhythms of contemporary family life. Matt explains, “Discipline often grows through consistency and encouragement. When children feel respected, they tend to mirror that respect in meaningful ways.”

As national discussions around early learning increasingly highlight the importance of intentional parenting, Karam’s Little Leaders occupies a thoughtful place within that dialogue. The program does not position leadership as a fixed trait but as a collection of habits nurtured over time through patience, structure, and shared experiences. Its emphasis on parental involvement aligns with insights suggesting that engaged caregiving contributes to positive developmental outcomes across social and emotional domains.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.

Link:https://www.usatoday.com/story/special/contributor-content/2026/03/13/how-karams-little-leaders-shapes-early-leadership-through-intentional-family-engagement/89139779007/

Reintroducing Biological Partnerships in Modern Orchards: A Design Question for the Future

linda changLeave a comment

There was a time when fruit trees did not stand alone. Animals grazed beneath them. Nutrients cycled in place. Fallen fruit did not represent waste; it became feed. Manure did not represent disposal; it became fertility. Pest cycles were interrupted not only by intervention, but by interaction.

Then agriculture specialized.

Livestock and orchards separated. Nutrients began arriving in bags. Pest control came in formulated products. Management became cleaner, more legible, more optimized.

It also became more linear.

What we gained in control, we may have lost in biological depth.

From a systems perspective, an orchard is not simply a collection of perennial plants. It is a layered biological network: canopy, understory, soil microbiome, arthropods, vertebrates, fungi.

When livestock were integrated into orchards historically, they were not an accessory enterprise. They were functional components of nutrient cycling, disturbance regimes, and trophic interactions.

Consider the ecological functions grazing animals can perform:

  • Nutrient redistribution: Manure and urine return nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients in biologically active forms.
  • Organic matter incorporation: Hoof action and plant residue trampling stimulate microbial decomposition.
  • Pest and disease interruption: Consumption of fallen fruit can reduce overwintering sites for insects and pathogens.
  • Vegetation management: Targeted grazing suppresses competitive groundcover while maintaining living roots.

These are not romantic ideas. They are biophysical processes.

When we removed animals, we did not eliminate these functions. We replaced them — typically with fossil-energy-dependent inputs and mechanical disturbance.

The system still performs the same tasks. It just performs them differently.

Modern orchard systems are remarkable in their productivity. Precision irrigation, fertigation, canopy management, rootstock optimization — these advances have dramatically increased yields per hectare.

But specialization also reduces functional redundancy — a core principle in ecological resilience theory.

In complex ecosystems, multiple organisms often perform overlapping roles. If one pathway fails, another compensates. This redundancy stabilizes the system under disturbance.

In simplified agricultural systems, functions are often concentrated:

  • Fertility depends on external nutrient supply.
  • Weed suppression depends on mechanical or chemical control.
  • Pest management depends on targeted interventions.
  • Revenue depends primarily on fruit yield.

When external inputs become more expensive or less reliable, or when climate volatility increases stress on tree physiology, the system has fewer internal buffers.

This is not a moral critique of modern agriculture. It is a structural observation.

Linear systems are efficient under stable conditions. Networked systems are resilient under variable conditions.

And we are entering an era defined by variability.

Rising temperature variability, altered precipitation patterns, and increased pest pressure are not hypothetical future risks — they are present design constraints.

Under these conditions, resilience becomes a measurable asset.

Integrated orchard grazing introduces additional biological actors into the system. That increases management complexity — but it also increases adaptive capacity.

Well-managed integration can:

  • Increase soil carbon inputs and aggregation, improving water infiltration and retention.
  • Enhance microbial diversity, which is linked to nutrient cycling efficiency and plant health.
  • Diversify farm income streams, reducing economic exposure to single-crop failure.
  • Reduce reliance on imported fertility and weed control inputs.

None of these effects are automatic. Poorly managed integration can cause compaction, tree damage, or nutrient imbalance.

The point is not that integration is inherently superior.

The point is that biological partnerships expand the design space.

We now have tools that earlier farmers did not:

  • Rotational grazing models informed by soil science.
  • Electric fencing and mobile infrastructure.
  • Precision nutrient monitoring.
  • Data analytics to track soil carbon and productivity outcomes.

In this light, animals are not nostalgic additions. They are distributed biological processors — converting biomass into fertility, interrupting pest cycles, and activating soil life.

Complex systems are not messy by accident. They are structured networks of interaction.

The question is whether we are willing to design orchards as ecological networks again — not just as input-responsive production platforms.

That may require more than improved inputs.

It may require rebuilding functional relationships between trees, animals, soil organisms, and farmers.

Not because it is traditional.

But because complex systems absorb shocks that simplified systems cannot.

And resilience, increasingly, is the most valuable yield of all.

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2026/03/02/reintroducing-biological-partnerships-in-modern-orchards-a-design-question-for-the-future/

A fifteen-year-old girl who had three hours, a law book, and the unwavering conviction that her sister’s life was not for sale

linda changLeave a comment

From : Gistreel Lifestyle. Liberia Online

She was eight years old when her father gambled her away in a card game.
Her older sister had three hours to win her back before the debt collector came.

Deadwood, Dakota Territory. 1877.
A place where law came slow, danger came fast, and survival belonged to the ruthless.

Thomas Garrett had lost everything—his mining stake, his wages, his self-respect—and now, in a drunken haze at the Gem Saloon, he’d lost something far worse:

his daughter.

The man who won her was Bullock—
not the sheriff, but a labor trafficker who “supplied” children to mining camps.
Kids as young as six spent twelve-hour days sorting ore until their lungs failed or their fingers gave out.
Most didn’t live past fourteen.

Thomas signed the paper without hesitation.
Bullock would collect little Emma at noon.

When fifteen-year-old Sarah came home from the laundry and learned what her father had done, she didn’t cry.
Didn’t scream.
Didn’t fall apart.

She simply asked, “When?”

“Tomorrow. Noon.”

Three hours until dawn.
Three hours to save her sister.

And Sarah had something her father never had:

clarity.

She knew Bullock.

Everyone did.
A cruel man who hid behind paperwork and respectability.

He’d made her father sign a contract—
which meant it could be challenged.

And Deadwood had something else:

A new federal judge who’d publicly declared that parents could not use their children to pay debts.

Sarah didn’t sleep.
She didn’t blink.

At dawn she was already standing in the courthouse, breathless, determined.

The clerk tried to dismiss her—
fifteen-year-old girls didn’t talk law.

But Sarah did.

Because before drink ruined him, her father had been a clerk…
and she’d read every law book he left lying around.

She laid out the case with the precision of a trained lawyer:

The contract violated territorial labor laws.

It constituted debt bondage of a minor.

Thomas Garrett was legally incapacitated due to intoxication.

The clerk stared. Then nodded.

He woke the judge.

Judge Isaac Parker—who would one day be known as the “Hanging Judge”—read the contract, listened to Sarah, and did something extraordinary:

He issued an emergency injunction, blocking the transfer and summoning both Bullock and Thomas Garrett to court that afternoon.

When Bullock arrived at the Garrett cabin at noon, two men at his back, he found Sarah waiting on the porch.

Not shaking.

Not pleading.

Holding a federal court order in her hand.

Bullock turned red with fury but wasn’t stupid enough to defy a judge.

At the hearing, Judge Parker didn’t hesitate.

He voided the contract.
Declared it an illegal attempt to traffic a minor.
Warned Bullock that any further attempt to collect “payment” would end with him in chains.

Then he turned to Thomas Garrett.

A father who gambled his children away forfeits the right to be a father.

Parker stripped him of parental rights and—
in a move that shocked the entire Dakota Territory—
appointed fifteen-year-old Sarah as her sister’s legal guardian.

But victory didn’t fill their stomachs.

Sarah now had an eight-year-old to raise,
no money,
no home,
and only her laundry work to survive.

What she did next became legend.

She went to five different businesswomen in Deadwood—
laundry owners, seamstresses, boarding house keepers—
and proposed a deal:

“I’ll work for reduced wages.
You house and feed my sister and me.
I’ll take the hardest jobs and the longest hours.”

Four said no.

The fifth—
a widow named Martha Bullock (no relation to the trafficker)—
said yes.

For the next three years, Sarah worked sixteen-hour days.
Emma went to school—
Sarah insisted on it.

She saved every coin.

By 1880, she’d saved enough to lease a small building and open her own laundry.

By 1882, she owned it.

She employed six women.
Paid fair wages.
Offered housing to those in need.

Emma, thirteen, kept the books.

When Emma turned eighteen, Sarah paid—
entirely from her business profits—
for her to attend normal school and become a teacher.

Emma later became a school principal
and one of the fiercest advocates for child labor reform in the state.

Sarah never married.

“I raised one child already,” she’d say with a half-smile.
“Did a better job than most with half the resources.”

She ran her business until 1910, providing work for over a hundred women across three decades.

Emma retired as the first female superintendent in her county.

When Sarah died in 1923, her obituary mentioned her “successful business career.”

Emma told the real story:

A fifteen-year-old girl who had three hours, a law book, and the unwavering conviction that her sister’s life was not for sale.

Judge Parker later said:

“Justice isn’t only about punishing the guilty.
Sometimes it’s about recognizing competence where no one else looks for it.”

The line between tragedy and triumph is thin.
Sometimes it’s nothing more than a teenage girl
who refuses to accept that her sister can be traded like poker chips—

and who’s smart enough to find the one legal lever that can stop it.

Sarah Garrett didn’t have money.
Didn’t have weapons.
Didn’t have allies.

She had time running out.
A mind trained by desperation.
And love hard enough to fight the world.

And that was enough.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=866624929388914&set=a.764395932945148&type=3&mibextid=wwXIfr

The Desert-Conquering Queen: Yin Yuzhen’s 36-Year Battle Against the Sands

linda chang1 Comment

In 1985, a drunken promise set a young woman on a path that would change not only her life, but the fate of an entire desert.

At just 19 years old, Yin Yuzhen was forced to marry Bai Wanxiang, a man living deep in China’s Mu Us Desert.

On her wedding night, while Bai lay down early to rest, Yin Yuzhen sat awake until dawn, her eyes red from weeping. When she looked out from her tiny dugout home, she saw nothing but endless waves of yellow sand stretching to the horizon. She felt as if her life had ended before it began.

Her new home was a four-square-meter pit carved into a sand dune. To enter, she had to stoop under a doorway so low it nearly grazed her back. Inside, there was nothing but a bed of dry twigs and straw.

Her husband was four years older and came from a family who had battled the desert for generations. Years earlier, Yin’s father had been saved by Bai’s father when a sandstorm left him lost in the dunes. Grateful, the men became sworn brothers, and in a haze of alcohol, her father vowed to give his daughter to the Bai family. Though he regretted it once sober, he felt bound to keep his word.

Life was brutal. There was no electricity or running water. Summers scorched and winters froze. They survived on millet, wild plants, and the occasional scavenged animal carcass. For forty days after her wedding, Yin Yuzhen saw no one but her husband—until, at last, a wandering herder passed by.

The isolation was unbearable. In her loneliness, she would cover footprints in the sand with a basin, pretending someone was still there.

Seven times she tried to flee, and seven times she became lost in the swirling sand. Once, she walked for two days and nights, only to find herself back where she started. That was when she realized the desert was not going to let her go.

At her lowest point, she contemplated ending her life. But in that moment, she remembered her mother’s tearful face the day she left home—and she stepped back from the edge. If she couldn’t escape, she decided, she would have to find a way to survive.

Hope arrived in the form of two poplar saplings she brought home from a visit to her parents. Miraculously, one took root. That little sprig of green whispered a possibility: maybe the desert wasn’t completely invincible.

In 1986, Yin Yuzhen made a bold choice. She sold their only “three-legged sheep”—a wounded animal that was still precious—and used the money to buy 600 young trees.

That spring, she and Bai planted each sapling in the sand around their cellar.

The challenges were immediate. Every day, they walked kilometers to fetch water. Under the searing sun, most of the saplings withered. By summer’s end, fewer than 100 remained. But for Yin Yuzhen, that was enough to keep going.

From then on, reclaiming the desert became her life’s purpose. Bai took work wherever he could to buy more trees, while she stayed behind to plant, water, and protect them.

Every morning she rose at 4 a.m. and worked until late into the night.

Through years of trial and error, she devised a three-layer planting method: shrubs to anchor the sand, trees to form a windbreak, and fruit trees to sustain their livelihood. This innovation transformed survival rates.

But the desert kept testing her resolve.

In 1989, a monstrous sandstorm struck while they were returning with new saplings. The wind tore the trees from their cart and buried them. Yin Yuzhen clung to their ox’s tail, stumbling forward in the blinding grit. When they finally reached home, she didn’t rest—she planted every surviving sapling that same night.

Setbacks never stopped coming.

They flattened kilometers of sand to make water channels, only to watch them swallowed again and again.

She went into premature labor from exhaustion. He developed pneumonia. But neither ever quit.

For the first ten years, the progress was almost invisible. The trees grew painfully slowly, and the dunes kept advancing. Still, she believed that if she didn’t give up, someday the desert would yield.

In the fifteenth year, signs of hope appeared. The dunes near their home began to stabilize. The wind softened. Small animals returned.

After twenty years, their desolate hollow had transformed into an oasis that drew neighbors to settle nearby.

Today, after thirty-six years of relentless labor, Yin Yuzhen and Bai Wanxiang have reclaimed more than 70,000 acres of desert.

They have planted over 20 million trees—forming a vast green barrier against the sands.

Their perseverance has inspired 84 families to join in the mission, proving that even the harshest landscapes can be transformed.

Yin Yuzhen’s story has captured global attention. She has won over 100 honors, including “National Model Worker” and “Green China Person of the Year.” She was the first Chinese woman nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and the United Nations has praised her work as a model of ecological restoration.

What began as a forced marriage became the catalyst for a transformation no one imagined possible.

The young bride who wept in despair became a legend—China’s Desert-Conquering Queen.

Standing in her thriving “green kingdom,” she often reflects on her journey from hopelessness to triumph.

“At first, I only wanted to survive,” she says. “Later, it became my life’s mission.”

Today, the cellar where she once had to crawl inside has been replaced by a bright brick house surrounded by orchards and forests. That place—once a symbol of despair—has become a destination where people come to learn, to marvel, and to be inspired.

Yin Yuzhen’s life is a powerful reminder that in the most unforgiving environments, the strongest life force can grow.

One woman’s 36-year battle against the desert ended in a victory of green.

Link：https://peacelilysite.com/2025/07/08/the-desert-conquering-queen-yin-yuzhens-36-year-battle-against-the-sands/

Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02UztZikitftmaF5mxFQ5hoJtqtvEFZSQjnfhEWWR12h9vKd4zhVZN2mMUcGoAVAcdl&id=100063478189650

Photos from: https://www.chinastory.cn/PCzwdbk/chinastory/wap/detail/20190617/1006000000039761560767204146970666_1.html

77. THE SIXTEEN DREAMS [CHAPTER 1. PANIC]

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77. THE SIXTEEN DREAMS [CHAPTER 1. PANIC]

Once upon a time there was a king called Brahmadatta who was ruling in Benares, in northern India. One night he had sixteen frightening nightmare dreams. He awoke in the morning in a cold sweat, with his heart thumping loudly in his chest. The sixteen dreams had scared him to death. He was sure they meant that something terrible was about to happen. In a panic, he called for his official priests, to ask their advice.

When the priests arrived at the royal bed chamber, they asked the king if he had slept well. He told them that it had been the worst night of his life, that he had been scared to death by sixteen dreams, and that he was desperate to find out their meanings.

At this the priests’ eyes lit up. They asked him, “What were these dreams, your majesty?” King Brahmadatta told them all sixteen dreams. The priests pounded their foreheads and exclaimed, “Oh what horrors! It couldn’t be worse, your majesty. Such dreams as these can mean only one thing — danger!”

The king asked them, ‘What danger, oh priests? You must tell me the meaning at once!” They replied, It is certain, your majesty, these dreams show that one of three disasters will take place — terrible harm to the kingdom, to your life, or to the royal wealth.”

The king had feared as much. He wrung his hands as the sweat kept pouring from his body. He was shaking all over with terror and panic. He asked, “Tell me, oh worthy royal priests, is there any way to avoid this disaster?” “Indeed, it is very dangerous,” they said. “If you do nothing, the end is certain. But we can prevent it. If we couldn’t, then all our training and learning would be useless. Trust us, lord.”

The panic-stricken king cried out, “Just tell me what to do, priests. I’ll do anything! What can you do to save me, my kingdom and my wealth?” “We must offer the greatest animal sacrifice that has ever been seen,” they said. “We must kill, as sacrificial offerings, four of every type of animal that lives!”

Although he was usually a gentle, kind and merciful ruler. King Brahmadatta was so frightened that he couldn’t think straight at all. Paralyzed with fear, he put all his hope and faith in his priests. He gave them permission to prepare the gigantic slaughter.

The priests said, “Have no fear, your majesty, we will take care of everything. We will prevent the coming doom!” They knew they would be paid well to perform the sacrifice. And the meat from the killed animals would be theirs as well. Their secret thoughts were, “This is a great way for us to get piles of money, and the best food and drink too!”

The priests got to work organizing the biggest sacrifice Benares had ever seen. Just outside of town they dug a huge pit. Into it they put the most perfect ones they could find of all the animals — land animals, birds and fish. From each kind they selected four to be killed in the ceremony. It became known as the ‘Four-from-all’ sacrifice.

Meanwhile, the king’s senior teaching priest had a promising young pupil. He was gentle and compassionate, and very well-educated. He wondered about all that was happening. So he asked the teacher priest, “Oh master, you have taught me well the wise teachings of old. Can you show me anywhere it says the killing of one will save the life of another?”

The priest answered, “What kind of question is that? Open your eyes and be realistic, my boy. Don’t you see that this great sacrifice, the Four-from-all, will make us rich? You must be trying to help the king hold onto his riches! “

The idealistic and sincere pupil said, “You have not answered my question, master. If this sacrifice is to be your work, it shall be mine no longer!” With these words he departed and went to the royal pleasure garden to consider what he would do.

It just so happened that the Enlightenment Being had been born into a rich high class family. For many generations the men in that family had been priests, just like the ones who were now preparing the Four-from-all sacrifice. But when the Bodhisatta grew up he abandoned the life of a rich priest. Instead he went to the Himalayas and lived as a humble forest monk. He concentrated his mind in meditation and entered high mental states. He gained the sweetest inner happiness, and even miraculous supernatural powers.

This forest monk loved all the animals. When he heard about what was happening in Benares he was filled with tenderness and compassion. He decided, “I must teach the ignorant people and release them from the chains of superstition. I will go to the city at once!” Then he used his supernatural power to fly through the air to Benares. In an instant he was seated on a rock in the king’s pleasure garden. His gentle nature made him glow like a golden sunrise.

The idealistic young student approached and recognized him as a great holy man. He bowed respectfully and sat on the ground. The forest monk asked him, “Young man, do you have a good and just king reigning here in Benares?”

“Yes”, said the student, “our king is kind and good. But he is being misled by the royal priests. He had sixteen dreams which left him completely panic-stricken. The priests took advantage of this when he told them his dreams. They have convinced him to have a huge sacrifice and kill many animals. Oh holy one, please tell the king the true meanings of his dreams. Free the many helpless beings from fear and death.”

The holy man said, “If he comes and asks me, I will tell him.” “I will bring him, sir,” said the young man. “Kindly wait here a short while until I return.”

The student went to the king and told him there was a marvelous holy man seated on a rock in the royal pleasure garden. He told him he had said he could interpret the king’s dreams. Hearing this, the king went with him to the garden. A crowd followed behind.

77. The sixteen dreams [Chapter 1. Panic]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2024/02/27/77-the-sixteen-dreams-chapter-1-panic/

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62. THE PRIEST WHO GAMBLED WITH A LIFE [MISGUIDED MORALITY]

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62. THE PRIEST WHO GAMBLED WITH A LIFE [MISGUIDED MORALITY]

Once upon a time, there was a king who loved to gamble with his royal priest. When he threw the dice, he always recited this lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure.”

Amazing as it may seem, by using this charm the king always won! Before long, the royal priest lost almost every penny he owned.

He thought, “I have lost almost all my wealth to the king. It must be because of his lucky charm. I need to find a way to break the spell and win back my money. I must find a pure woman who has never had anything to do with a man. Then I will lock her up in my mansion and force her to remain faithful to me!”

This seemed like a good plan to him. But then he started having doubts. He thought, “It would be nearly impossible to keep a woman pure after she had already become accustomed to men. Therefore I must find the purest woman possible – one who has never even seen a man!”

Just then he happened to see a poor woman passing by. She was pregnant. The royal priest was an expert in reading the meaning of marks on the body. So he could tell that the unborn baby was a girl. And the thought occurred to him, “Aha! Only an unborn baby girl has never seen a man!”

The royal priest was willing to do anything to beat the king at dice. So he paid the poor woman to stay in his house and have her baby there. When the wonderful little girl was born, the priest bought her from her mother. Then he made sure she was raised only by women. She never saw a man — except of course the royal priest himself. When she grew up, he still kept her completely under his control. It was just as if he owned the poor girl!

The cruel priest did all this only because of his gambling habit. While the girl was growing up, he had avoided playing dice with the king. Now that she was of age, and still his prisoner, he challenged the king to a game of dice once again.

The king agreed. After they had made their bets, the king shook the dice and repeated his favourite lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure.”

But just before he threw down the dice, the priest added:

“Except my woman — faithful evermore!”

Lo and behold, the king’s charm didn’t work. He lost that bet, and from then on the priest won every throw of the dice.

The king was puzzled by this turn of events. After considering, he thought, “This priest must have a pure woman locked up at home, one who is forced to be faithful to him alone. That’s why my lucky charm doesn’t work anymore.”

He investigated and discovered what the cruel priest had done. So he sent for a well-known playboy character. He asked him if he could cause the lady’s downfall. He replied, “No problem, my lord!” The king paid him handsomely and told him to do the job quickly.

The man bought a supply of the finest perfumes and cosmetics. He set up a shop just outside the royal priest’s mansion. This mansion was seven stories high, with seven entrance gates — one on each floor. Women guarded each gate, and no man except the priest was allowed to enter.

Only only one servant waited on the priest’s lady. She carried everything in and out, including perfumes and cosmetics. The priest gave her money for her purchases.

The playboy saw the servant going in and out of the priest’s mansion. Soon he realised she was the one who could get him inside. So he devised a plan and hired some cronies to help him.

The next morning, when the serving lady went out to do her shopping, the playboy dramatically fell to the ground before her. Grabbing her knees he tearfully cried, “Oh my dear mother, it’s so wonderful to see you again after such a long time!”

Then his cronies chimed in, “Yes, this must be she! She looks the same – her hands and feet and face and type of dress. Yes, this must be she!” They all kept saying how amazing it was that her looks had changed so little in all that time.

The poor woman must have had a long lost son, for soon she was convinced this must be he. She hugged the king’s clever playboy, and both sobbed tears of joy over their miraculous reunion.

In between bouts of sobbing, the man was able to ask her, “Oh dear mother, where are you living now?” “I live next door,” she said, “in the royal priest’s mansion. Night and day I serve his young woman. Her beauty is without equal, like the mermaids sailors love to praise.”

He asked, “Where are you going now, mother?” “I’m going shopping for her perfumes and cosmetics, my son.” “There’s no need, mother,” he said, “from now on I will give you the best perfumes and cosmetics free of charge!” So he gave them to her, along with a bouquet of lovely flowers.

When the priest’s lady saw all these, much better quality than usual, she asked why the priest was so happy with her. “No,” said the serving woman, “these are not from the priest. I got them at my son’s shop.” From then on she got perfumes and cosmetics from the playboy’s shop, and kept the priest’s money.

After a while the playboy began the next part of his plan. He pretended to be sick and stayed in bed.

When the servant came to the shop she asked, “Where is my son?” She was told he was too sick to work, and was taken to see him. She began massaging his back and asked, “What happened to you, my son?” He replied, “Even if I were about to die, I couldn’t tell you, my mother.”

She continued, “If you can’t tell me, whom can you tell?” Then, according to his plan, he broke down and admitted to her, “I was fine until you told me about your beautiful mistress — ‘like the mermaids sailors love to praise’. Because of your description, I have fallen in love with her. I must have her. I can’t live without her. I’m so depressed, without her I’ll surely die!”

Then the woman said, “Don’t worry, my son, leave it up to me.” She took even more perfumes and cosmetics to the priest’s lady. She said to her, “My lady, after my son heard from me about your beauty, he fell madly in love with you! I don’t know what to do next!”

Since the priest was the only man she had ever seen, the lady was curious. And of course she resented being locked up by force. So she said, “If you sneak him into my room, it’s all right with me!”

The woman guards at the seven gates searched everything the servant took in and out. So she had to have a plan. She swept up all the dust and dirt she could find in the whole mansion. Then she began taking some of it out each day in a large covered flower basket. Whenever she was searched, she made sure some of the dust and dirt got on the guard women’s faces. This made them sneeze and cough. Pretty soon they stopped searching her when she went in and out.

Finally one day she hid the playboy in her covered flower basket. He was trim and fit, not heavy at all. She was able to sneak him past all seven guarded gates, and into the priest’s lady’s private chamber. The two lovers stayed together for several days and nights. So the playboy was able to destroy her perfect faithfulness, which had been forced on her by the cold-hearted priest.

Eventually she told him it was time to go. He said, “I will go. But first, since the old priest has been so mean to you, let me give him one good blow to the head!” She agreed and hid him in a closet. This too was part of his secret plan.

When the priest arrived, his lady said, “My lord and master, I’m so happy today! I’d like to dance while you play the guitar.”

The priest said, “Of course, my beauty.” “But I’m too shy to dance in front of you,” she added, “so please wear this blindfold while I dance.” Again he agreed to her request and she put a blindfold over his eyes.

The priest played a pretty tune on his complicated Indian guitar, while his lady danced. After a bit she said, “As part of my dance, won’t you let me give you a tap on the head?” “As you wish, my dear,” he said.

Then she motioned to the playboy, who came out of the closet, snuck up from behind, and hit the old priest on the head! His eyes nearly popped out, and a bump began rising from the blow. He cried out and the lady put her hand in his. He said, “Such a soft hand sure can deliver a wallop, my dear!”

The playboy returned to the closet. The lady removed the priest’s blindfold and put some ointment on his bump. When he had left, the serving woman hid the playboy in her flower basket and smuggled him out of the mansion. He went immediately to the king and told him the whole story, in a very boastful way of course.

The next day the royal priest went to the palace as usual. The king said, “Shall we gamble on the throw of the dice?” The priest, expecting to win once more, agreed. Just as before, the king recited his lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure.”

As usual the priest added:

“Except my woman — faithful evermore!”

But lo and behold the dice fell in the king’s favour and he took the priest’s money.

The king said, “Oh priest, your woman is no exception! True faithfulness cannot be forced! Your plan was to snatch a newborn baby girl, lock her up behind seven gates guarded by seven guards, and force her to be good. But you have failed. Any prisoner’s greatest wish is freedom!

“She blindfolded you and then her playboy lover gave you that bump on your old bald head – which proves your gates and guards were useless!

The priest returned home and accused his lady. But in the meantime, she had come up with a plan of her own. She said, “No, my lord, I have been completely faithful to you. No man has ever touched me except you! And I will prove it in a trial by fire. I will walk on fire without being burned to prove I speak the truth.”

She ordered the old servant woman to fetch her son, the playboy. She was to tell him to take the lady by the hand and prevent her from stepping in the flames. This the woman did.

On the day of the trial by fire, the priest’s lady said to the crowd of onlookers, “I have never been touched by any man except this priest, my master. By this truth, may the fire have no power over me.”

Then, just as she was about to step into the fire, the playboy leaped from the crowd and grabbed her hand. He shouted, “Stop! Stop! How can this priest be so cruel as to force this tender young lady into a raging fire!”

She shook her hand free and said to the priest, “My lord, since this man has touched my hand, the trial by fire is useless. But you can see my good intention!”

The priest realised he had been tricked. He beat her as he drove her away forever. At last she was free of him and mistress of her own fate.

The moral is: You can’t force someone to be good.

The Priest Who Gambled With a Life [Misguided Morality]

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/11/07/the-priest-who-gambled-with-a-life-misguided-morality/

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Masterpieces of Eagle Paintings

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Photo by Frank Cone on Pexels.com

Four Chinese Ink Paintings of Eagle in IAMA

Eagles, with their symbols of speed, power, sharp vision, and justice, are a common and captivating subject in paintings. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, a renowned artist and spiritual leader, has masterfully captured the essence of this majestic creature in his Chinese ink paintings. These paintings are currently on display at the International Art Museum of America, where visitors can marvel at the unique style and charm of each of the four pieces.

Du Shi Hong Tou Wan Li Gui (Red-Headed Eagle on a Lone Rock After Having Returned From Thousands of Miles Away)

The painting depicts an eagle returning from a journey of thousands of miles. It is completely black, with bright and mottled feathers. Its sharp eyes shine with intelligence, reflecting a silent abstraction of the vast ocean. Even after the long journey, its feathers are a bit disheveled, and its sharp claws are tightly grasping a red stone, supporting its slightly weary body. The stone appears to be floating in the sky rather than resting on the ground. The red stone, painted with powerful strokes, adds dynamism and strength to the painting. The eagle’s gaze is fixed on the distance, looking at its homeland. The gaze seems filled with eagerness, love, pride, and a touch of sadness and melancholy. The painting has a unique abstract style; it is not a realistic depiction of an eagle, but it gives the viewer a very real impression.

Ying She Dou (Fighting between Eagle and Snake)

The Chinese painting “Ying She Dou” depicts a real scene that is powerful and striking in its presentation. The composition is full and atmospheric, with a minimal but vivid color palette. The eagle is rendered with fine, meticulous brushwork, giving it a towering presence with wings like mountains painted in thick ink. The pure scorched royal black of the eagle is full of mysterious power. The accompanying withered tree trunk is painted with bold, vigorous strokes in a freehand style, exuding the charm of a casual style along with the scholarly air and graceful ancient look typical of engraved stone seals. The artist’s extraordinary skills are evident in this image, which is anything but mediocre. The atmosphere of the painting is terrifying, tense, and bloody, eliciting shudders and thrills from the viewer.

Gu Tu (Native Land)

This painting exudes a warm, soft, and tranquil atmosphere. Two mighty eagles are depicted circling and perching on their own rock, a location they have occupied for an extended period of time, leaving layers upon layers of visible bird droppings on the rock. The eagles’ poses and eyes convey their deep love and compassion for their homeland. Unlike other eagle paintings, this work showcases the eagles’ softer, more loving side. The rock, which appears like a cultural relic, is rendered in different shades of color, ranging from light to dark, and resembles a semi-transparent amber, adding warmth and softness to the painting. This piece of art conveys a grand vision and is free from any signs of rashness on the part of the artist.

This painting is one of my favorites. Standing in front of it, I can genuinely sense the calm, love, and inner strength emanating from the artist. It is my sincere hope that everyone may experience love, protection, and lead a life of peace and harmony.

Xiong Shi (Powerful Gaze)

The painting titled “Powerful Gaze” captures the essence of magnanimity, courage, and extraordinary sentiment, finding wonder in the ordinary.

This delightful painting style is lively yet natural, producing a dynamic and fascinating effect from scattered ink.

While the structure of the painting is simple, the artist’s inner strength subtly emanates throughout. With just a few brushstrokes, the painting achieves a lofty and grand atmosphere, bringing the spirit to life with vibrancy and energy. The eagle’s eyes are particularly expressive and sharp, as if they could leap out of the painting, ready to destroy all evil and correct all wrongs. The eagle’s feathers are rendered in large blocks of abstract gray, providing room for the viewer’s imagination and adding a cold, pure, and divine tone to the painting. The stone beneath the eagle’s feet is outlined with the extremely energetic brushwork of calligraphy, and the Chinese calligraphy title “雄视” (Powerful Gaze) further enhances the dynamic energy of the entire painting. The painting conveys the message that the eagle is steadfastly carrying out its mission, no matter the circumstances.

These four paintings collectively showcase the artist’s true mastery of a diverse range of painting skills. The artist can effortlessly create artworks in different styles, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the craft. Beyond providing a visual feast for the eyes, the artist’s works also have the power to touch the hearts and souls of viewers, leaving a lasting impact.

Masterpieces of Eagle Paintings

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2023/11/03/masterpieces-of-eagle-paintings/

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