# Realizing the Mind that Abides Nowhere

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/realizing-the-mind-that-abides-nowhere
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/realizing-the-mind-that-abides-nowhere.md
Podcast: [Earth Dreams: Zen Buddhism and the Soul of the World](https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534)
Published: 2026-02-22T16:08:34+00:00
Episode link: https://amykisei.substack.com/p/realizing-the-mind-that-abides-nowhere
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/188714770/35104b00a49c673ef75e5be7cd8d41b1.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/episodes/realizing-the-mind-that-abides-nowhere
Duration seconds: 1674

## Resource

dust returns to dust earth to earth mind always at home in itself where does it return? This past week I was reflecting on the 6th Chan Ancestor, Huineng and his encounter with a verse from the diamond sutra. Huineng lost his father early in life, and supported himself and his mother by selling firewood. On one occasion, he was selling firewood to a customer, and someone passed by chanting the words of the diamond sutra. Huineng heard a single line and was profoundly moved—it touched something in him and his heart was opened. He managed to stop the person who was chanting to inquire as to what the origin of the verse was and found out that it was from the diamond sutra, and a teacher in a distant part of the country was encouraging their students to chant this sutra. For Huineng, this was a “call to adventure moment.” He knew he needed to meet this teacher, which meant leaving his current life. For Huineng, this worked out. He was able to find someone to care for his mom, and he set out on a difficult journey to meet this unknown teacher. I feel like this story is relatable. Has something like this ever happened to you? Have you ever heard a phrase from a song, poem, a prayer or a teaching and it touched you profoundly? It stoped you. Perhaps caused you to find out the source of the words, or left you on a quest to discover who wrote it? what book was it from? These moments can take us on an adventure of discovery. But also, more importantly—the words themselves touched something that is beyond words. They often wake us up to the immediacy, the intimacy of this life. Sometimes this happens with words from a chant or prayer we recite regularly, or have heard often. One day, they feel imbued with a new kind of meaning. This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and the words…

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