Author

Ming Zhao

Ming Zhao is a finger pointing to the moon on the path of authentic practice, not a builder of philosophical edifices. Not academically trained in the traditional sense, his language does not stem from scholastic systems but arises from direct and unadorned insight into the reality of life, coupled with a persistent and profound contemplation of the “dilemma of consciousness.”

His primary contribution lies in refining the ancient Eastern wisdom of “No Mind” into a clear, modern, and direct system of cognition and practice. His thought, while not confined to any sectarian framework, seamlessly connects the sharpness of Zen, the simplicity of the School of Mind, and modern psychology’s understanding of mechanisms. He excels at employing a series of precise metaphors—such as “wave and ocean,” “screen and image,” “background and story”—transforming the abstract, often ineffable nature of awareness into an immediate, tangible experience accessible to all.

In On No Mind, he systematically elucidates how “Mind at Work” (identification with thought) constructs all our suffering, illness, and the illusion of samsara, while clearly pointing to “No Mind” (background awareness) as the sole source of all liberation and creation. His exposition is meticulously logical and layered, offering particularly disruptive and practical insights into the “mental origins of disease” and the “practice of no-practice in daily life.”

He holds that true teaching is not about adding knowledge but removing obstacles; not about giving answers but dissolving questions. His writing is akin to a sharp scalpel, intended to precisely sever the fundamental delusion of “mistaking thoughts for the self,” allowing readers to glimpse their own inherently perfect and unmoving light of Self-Nature.

Currently, Ming Zhao is dedicated to writing and sharing, aiming to clearly point out the “path of homecoming” to modern seekers trapped in thought, disturbed by emotion, and burdened by identity—awakening from the story of “Mind at Work” to abide in the reality of “No Mind.”