Be still and rest your anxious mind

Tao Te Ching

The wise person embraces the One and sets an example for all.

Not putting on a show, he shines;
not justifying himself, he is distinguished;
not boasting, he is acknowledged.
He does not quarrel, so no one quarrels with him.

If one does not begin with the right attitude,
there is little hope for the right ending.

— Lao Tzu (Walker, Trans., 1995)

To Flow with the River

Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water.
When you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup;
when you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle;
when you put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Now water can flow — or it can sink.
Be water, my friend.

— Lee (1971)

Zen

The Cup

It was obvious to the master from the start of the conversation that the professor was not so much interested in learning about Zen as he was in impressing the master with his own opinions and knowledge. As the Zen teacher explained, the learned man would frequently interrupt him with remarks like “Oh, yes, we have that too.”

Finally the Zen teacher stopped talking and began to serve tea. He poured the cup full, then kept pouring until the cup overflowed. “Enough!” the learned man interrupted. “The cup is overfull — no more will go in!”

“Indeed,” answered the Zen teacher. “Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. If you do not first empty your cup, how can you taste my cup of tea?”

(Hyams, 1979)

Zen

The Dying Teacher

When Yaoshan was dying, he suddenly shouted, “Now the meditation hall is going to collapse!”

The monks began looking around for wooden poles to support the structure.

Yaoshan raised his hand and said, “No, no, you don't understand,” and then he died.

The Outlaw

One day, an ostentatious and contemptuous outlaw was thrashing about a small village. He came upon the house of a master, having heard stories of the master's legendary skill, and wanted to test it.

He came to the gate. The master was tending his garden. The outlaw called out to him, boasting that he could beat him with a single strike. He taunted the master and cried of his ignorance and bogus skill. “Challenge me if you can, and show me your best technique.”

At this, the master turned to the outlaw, bowed to him, and walked back into the house.

The outlaw became furious and ranted that the legends of the master were untrue and undeserving. A short moment later, the master reappeared — this time carrying a tray with a pot of tea and two cups. He sat near a table and poured. Then he gestured the outlaw to drink with him.

The outlaw, caught off guard, bowed to the master and left him alone.

— Tony E Hansen

Words of Fools

A word whispered in the ear
can be heard for miles.

Mischief results from
too much opening of the mouth.

When the blind lead the blind,
they both fall into the water.

— Drawn from Zen wisdom; Proverbs 18; and Matthew 15:14

Meditation

Enigma of Reality

enigma? essence. equilibrium.
encircle —

within or without?
to be or not to be?
to see or not to see?
to feel or not feel?

to be but not to be?
to see but not to see?
to feel but not to feel?

a symbol, a distraction of reality —
what is reality?
what is the focus?

to breathe and to see with the mind's eye;
to hear and to feel with the essence of life.

the focus is the essence of pure thought;
the focus is the essence of nature;
the focus is the essence of flowing rivers.

the focus is not the rock, but it is the rock —
then the focus is not the reality, but it is reality.

— Tony E Hansen