Three Texts That Inspired Me Lately

The Diamond Sutra

I’ve been studying Buddhism lately, and this text is one of the foundational scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism, a major Buddhist tradition centered on compassion, wisdom, and the bodhisattva path—not only seeking personal liberation, but aspiring to help others awaken as well. Mahayana later developed into many different schools, including Zen and Pure Land, and deeply influenced Buddhist thought across Asia. My first encounter with Buddhism was through the painting The Sixth Patriarch Cutting the Bamboo and its association with Huineng and the idea of sudden enlightenment.

Liang Kai (c. 1140-1210), Song Dynasty (960-1279), hanging scroll, ink on paper, 72.7 x 31.5 cm, Tokyo National Museum.

I Ching (The Book of Changes)

A timeless book of wisdom on change and the patterns of life. I’m less familiar with its English translations. One commentary on the I Ching that truly inspired me recently explores the idea of finding one’s true inner power.

The Untethered Soul

A modern spiritual book on consciousness and inner freedom. Some of its ideas reminded me of the Buddhist thought I encountered in The Diamond Sutra.