Catch up on the Zen a day:
Saturday 19 January 2008
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
- Leonardo da Vinci
Sunday 20 January 2008
Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind. One monk said: "The flag moves." The other said: "The wind moves." back and forth they argued. Coming upon them, Hui-neng, the Sixth Patriatch, said: "Monks! It is not the flag that moves. It is not the wind that moves. It is your mind that moves!" The two monks were awestruck.
- Zen koan
Monday 21 January 2008
There was an old woman who kept the pilgrim's inn under Mount Fuji. One day she went to hear a long talk by the master Hakuin, which wnded with the question: "When you are looking for the Biddha of infinate light in your own body, how would you recognize it?"
The woman, thinking this wasn't so hard, went back home and meditated day and night. One day, as she was washing a pot, she had a breakthrough. She rushed to see Hakuin.
"I've met him, the Buddha, shining with a great light. It's wonderful!" and she danced for joy.
"Really," said Hakuin. "What about a pit of shit. Does it shine witha great light?"
The old woman ran up and slapped him. "You still don't get it, do you?"
Hakuin roared with laughter
- Zen Mondo
And this is our year of SIMPLICITY. We're cleaning out, simplifying, sorting, eliminating, re-thinking. Hope you're staying warm up there...it's fricking cold here, so I KNOW it's cold up there!
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