Audrey Lin

Audrey once heard this parable: An old man set out to change the world. He found that he wasn’t making much progress, so he tried to change his country. This was also too difficult, so he tried to change his neighborhood. When he didn’t have success there, he tried to change his family. Even that was easier said than done, so he tried to change himself. Then an interesting thing happened. When he had changed himself, his family changed. And when his family changed, his neighborhood changed. When his neighborhood changed, his country changed. And when his country changed, the world changed.

At one point, not too long ago, Audrey wanted to change the world. Then she realized that real, deep-rooted and lasting change comes from within. That is where she is now.

These are some reflections along the way.

“Why Meditate?”: Reflections From Students

The Monastery | The Tribe | Audrey Lin | June 12, 2011, 4:30 pm

As the school year wraps up, we asked the 4-6th graders to reflect on what they learned in meditation class. Their responses were both insightful and simple, serious and witty: I feel like my mind got a bath …. “I think meditation has been helping me. Not only my behavior, but my mind. I feel [...]

Conversations with a Sage

The Encounter | Audrey Lin | June 5, 2011, 9:41 pm

In reading essays on Master Hua’s life, I came across this quote: “The Master was always open, direct, and totally honest with everyone in every situation. He treated everyone equally, from the President of the United States to little children.” It makes me reflect: Am I honest? Do I say what I mean? Well, I [...]

Seize the Day!

The Tribe | Audrey Lin | May 31, 2011, 4:29 pm

For many students, Spring Break is a time to unwind. It’s a chance to relax, and enjoy a week away from school, teachers, and structure. But for several of the students here, it was a chance to roll up their sleeves, dive into a different country, culture, and language, and “seize the day!” as high [...]

When Hit by a Tsunami Inside

The Encounter | The Mind | The Monastery | Audrey Lin | May 18, 2011, 3:56 pm

September 29, 1977 Feelings that can’t be described, only felt: the steam-fire energy sometimes crescendos past my control. If I can turn it (like a stampede of cattle) and slowly and quietly gather it in, “everything is okay.” It passes. This is called “Waiting out the fire.” If I can’t, all hell breaks loose. Very [...]

The Presence of Perfection

The Mind | Audrey Lin | May 8, 2011, 5:34 pm

In a lecture on the Sixth Patriarch Sutra awhile back, there was a line that described perfection as limitless. Marty told a story about his days cultivating at Gold Mountain Monastery, and how this line about limitless perfection reminded him of a 9-year-old monk who asked Master Hua, “What if you’re already enlightened?” Master Hua [...]

What Soul Feels Like

The Mind | The Tribe | Audrey Lin | May 3, 2011, 4:37 pm

A huge smile (spread across oceans of time) breaks free from solitary ho-hum meander of the day. Sing like birds soar silent, still. A wandering song echoes through the caves of your mind [...]

The Real One Was Thought to be False

While reading some of Master Hua’s reflections, I came across this story: There is a story about when the students from mainland China first came to Taiwan. Because they were fleeing for their lives, none of the students, except maybe one or two, remembered to bring their diplomas. When they applied for college in Taiwan, [...]

Lessons from the Second Grade

The Monastery | Audrey Lin | April 10, 2011, 9:18 pm

Last week, I had the honor of joining a class with 2nd and 3rd graders at the Instilling Goodness Elementary School. They had put on a bake sale earlier in the day and wanted to donate their earnings towards our high school’s Community Service Trip to Mexico over spring break this April. Gathered in a [...]

← Previous Entries