“Life is transient, like a flash of lightning or a dream. Eighty years pass like a cloud. We're born and then we die.”
Chi-ch'eng (chee-chung), Buddhist monk
“Monks or nuns who can preach live in the city. I can't preach so I live in the mountains and practice by myself.
Hui Yuan (hway-yuan), Buddhist nun
“After Liberation we weren't supposed to read old books anymore. But I managed to collect quite a few Taoist books and I hid all the important ones away.”
Master Yang (mass-terr yang), Taoist monk
“When the Red Guards came I told them to go away. I didn't let them in. If I had they would have destroyed Kumarajiva's stupa. I was ready to die.”
Yuan Chao (yoo-en-chow), Buddhist teacher
“The main thing is to reduce your desires and quiet your mind.”
Master Hsueh T’ai-lai (sheh tie-lie), Taoist monk
“Only when the mind is still can it see. And only when the mind can see can it reach the mystery of mysteries”
Yen-ch’eng (Yen-Chung), Buddhist abbott
“Once you've seen through the illusions of the world, hardships aren't important.”
Ch'uan-fu (Choo-En – Foo), Buddhist nun
“You can achieve something if you practice. If you don't practice, you achieve nothing.”
Ch'e-hui (chuh-hway), Buddhist nun