2024: Index Z

 Zen Koan

"Once you realize your own nature, you are free of "birth and death." When your senses are gone, how do you free yourself?"  (09/19/2022)

"When you set yourself free of life and death, you should know your ultimate destination.  So when the four elements separate, where will you go?" (01/26/2022)

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Zen Mondo

A samurai once asked Zen Master Hakuin where he would go after he died.  Hakuin answered, "How am I supposed to know?"

"How do you know? You're a Zen master!" exclaimed the samurai.

"Yes, but not a dead one," Hakuin answered.  (10/29/2022)

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"One day Nan-ch'uan told Kuei-tsung and Ma-yu that he was going to take them to visit the National Teacher.  Before they began their journey, Nan-ch'uan drew a circle on the road and said, "As soon as you give a right answer, we will be on our way."  Immediately Kuei-tsung sat down inside the circle and Ma-yu bowed.  Nan-ch'uan said: "Judging by this answer, it will not be necessary to go."  (08/01/2022)

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"What is the most miraculous of all mistakes?

"That I sit quietly by myself." (05/03/2023)

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"When Daisetz T. Suzuki was once asked, "What is Zen?" his answer was:  "Zen is that which makes you ask the question, for the answer comes from where the question arises ...  When you ask what Zen is, you are asking who you are, what your Self is. Isn't it the height of stupidity to ask what your Self is, when it is this very Self that makes you ask the question.?"  (10/23/2023)

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"When Governor Lu was about to return to his office, he came to say goodbye to Nan-ch'uan.  The Master asked him: "Governor, you are going back to the capitol.  How will you govern the people? 

"The Governor replied: " I will govern them through wisdom."

"The Master remarked: "If this is true, the people will suffer for it."  (10/1y/2022)

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Zen Proverb

"Consider the trees which allow the birds to perch and fly away without either inviting them to stay or desiring them never to depart.  If your heart can be like this, you will be near to the Way."  (09/02/2022)

"If you understand, things are just as they are.  If you do not understand, things are just as they are."  (10/16/2022)

"Sometimes, simply by sitting, the soul collects wisdom." (11/02/2022)

"The world is won by those who let it go."

Zen Story

"One evening a farmer was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a noise in the orchard outside.  Investigating, he noticed a young man from the village up in one of his trees, stealing fruit.  Quietly the farmer went into the shed where he kept his ladder and brought it to the tree so that the thief might safely climb down and slip away unharmed."  (08/28/2023)

Zen Saying

"He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not is a fool  -- shun him.

"He who knows not, and knows that he knows not is a child -- teach him.

"He who knows, and knows not that he knows is asleepl -- wake him.

"But he who knows, and knows that he knows, is a wise man -- follow him."  (06/29/2022)

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"No seed ever sees the flower."  (05/14/2023) 

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"Your practice is your life."

Zhuang Zhou see Chuang-tzu

Zimmer, Heinrich  

"Knowledge is the reward of action; for it is by doing things that one becomes transformed.  Executing a symbolical gesture, actually living through, to the very limit, a particular role, one comes to realize the truth inherent in the role."  (09/30/2022)

Someone Who Has Seen the Truth

You have heard it said*: "As unnecessary as a well is to a village on the banks of a river, so unnecessary are all the scriptures to someone who has seen the truth."

I say unto you that no truer statement can be said.



*The Bhagavad Gita

Before You Speak

You have heard it said*: “Before you speak let your words pass through three gates.
At the first gate, ask yourself: ‘Is it true.’
At the second gate ask: ‘Is it necessary.’
At the third gate ask: ‘Is it kind.’”

But I say unto you: "Before you speak let your words pass through three gates.

At the first gate, ask yourself: "Is it true."

At the second gate ask:  "Is it useful."

At the third gate ask:  "Is it kind."

* Sufi Saying

You Ought to Do the Right Thing

You have heard it said*:

“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing.  It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”

But I say unto you:

"It is both the action and the fruit of the action that are important.  You ought to do the right thing that produces the right fruit.  It may not be in your power to produce the right fruit, or it may be that your action does not produce the right fruit in your time, but that does not mean you stop doing the right thing.  After all, you never know what results may come from your action.  However, if you do nothing, there will be a result and that result is likely to produce a bad fruit either for the external world around us or for the soul within yourself."

*Mohandas Gandhi

The Purpose of Life

 You have heard it said*: “The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

But I say unto you: "The purpose of life should not be the pursuit of happiness.  Instead, the purpose of life should be to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have one's life make some positive difference that verifies that you have lived and lived well."

*Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let Me Do It Now

You have heard it said*: 

“I expect to pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can do,
or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now.

Let me not defer or neglect it
for I shall not pass this way again.”

And I say unto you that no greater truth can be spoken.

* Quaker Proverb

If All Things Be Regarded With Love

You have heard it said*: "If all things be regarded with love, Heaven and Earth are one with me."

But I say unto you: "If all things be regarded with love, the Kingdom of Heaven and this Earth are one and the same."



*So-shi