Ancient wisdom

From a book called “Zen flesh, Zen bones”, compiled by Paul Reps, there are quite a few little gems of Buddhist wisdom. Personally I don’t worry about the source – to me wisdom is wisdom!

1. A cup of tea:-

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-19120), received a university professor who came to enquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself, “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-In said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

This next one is my favourite, I think.

14. Muddy road:- 

Tanzan and Ekido were once travelling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.

Coming round a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash unable to cross the intersection.

“Come on girl,” said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he could no longer restrain himself. “We monks don’t go near females,” he told Tanzan, “especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”

“I left the girl there,” said Tanzan. “Are you still carrying her?” 

And I like the wisdom in this one too. It fits in with my philosophy.

95. A letter to a dying man:-

Bassui wrote the following letter to one of his disciples who was about to die:

“The essence of your mind was not born, so it will never die. It is not an existence which is perishable. It is not an emptiness, which is a mere void. It has neither colour nor form. It enjoys no pleasures and suffers no pain.

“I know that you are very ill. Like a good Zen student, you are facing that sickness squarely. You may not know exactly who is suffering, but question yourself: What is the essence of this mind? Think only of this. You will need no more. Covet nothing. Your end which is endless is as a snowflake dissolving in the pure air.”