A person who has no body has a large body.
He who has no mind has a large mind.
With a large mind comes a wisdom that covers all myriad things.
With a large body he can respond and react without end.
So it is that someone who holds onto his body as his own loses this great responsiveness,
and one who holds onto his mind as his own loses this great knowledge.
That is why all the sutras and treatises teach that one must take leave of the body and mind and break free of all holding and attachment before entering into what is true and real.
~ Taisho Tripitaka
Tall pines chant in the wind,
Rain falls lightly at dusk.
East Cloister is half-shut,
West Cloister is locked.
I walked through mountains all day
Yet met no people;
The perfume of wild plum blossoms
Fills my sleeves.
The resident monk laughs at me
For being so enamored of pure scenes.
He dislikes the remoteness of mountains,
But he cannot leave.
Though I love the mountains,
I, too, laugh at myself.
Solitary withdrawal can harm the spirit,
It would be hard to carry on.
How much nicer, on West lake,
To drink fine wine,
The scents of red apricots and green peaches
Filling the hair.
~ Su Shi (1037-1101)
Buddha, in his bodhisattva stage,
Made the universal vow:
When beings hear my name
And think on me
I will come and welcome them.
Not discriminating at all between
The poor and the rich and the well born,
Not discriminating between the
Inferior and highly gifted;
Not choosing the learned
And those who uphold pure precepts.
Not rejecting those who break precepts
And whose evil karma is profound,
Solely making beings turn about
And abundantly say the name,
I can make bits of rubble
Change into gold.
~ Tz’u-min ( 8th c)
Illusion and enlightenment depend on each other.
Principle and actuality are ultimately the same.
All day long, sutras without words,
Through the night, Zen without sitting.
Warblers sing in the willow grove and
By the river,
A village dog barks at the moon.
I have no one to share my feelings,
So I just write what is in my heart.
~ Ryokan
https://terebess.hu/english/tao/gia.html#Kap03
Three
Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling.
Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If men lack knowledge and desire, then clever people will not try to interfere.
If nothing is done, then all will be well.
https://www.aa.org/daily-reflections
YESTERDAY'S BAGGAGE
October 05
For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit,
until he is able to admit and accept what he finds,
and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88
I have more than enough to handle today, without dragging along yesterday's baggage too.
I must balance today's books, if I am to have a chance tomorrow.
So I ask myself if I have erred and how I can avoid repeating that particular behavior.
Did I hurt anyone, did I help anyone, and why?
Some of today is bound to spill over into tomorrow,
but most of it need not if I make an honest daily inventory.
-------------
NEW DAY
God Bless Everyone
no exceptions
https://www.dailyzen.com/
Twilight scene at a hot-spring temple,
Autumn wind, a mountain where leaves flutter down:
People hurry along with the valley stream,
Birds go home in company
With the white clouds.
Monks’ quarters in the middle of the dusty town,
Laymen’s houses among the emerald of the woods.
All day long on the bridge above the ravine
The green peaks face me in silence.
~ Gensei (1623-1668)
The mysterious valley fountain
Is originally bright and clear
It was not made by humans.
The banks on both sides
And the stream between them
All shine with one light
Without ruffling the surface
Look carefully into the depths
You’ll see the uncountable
Legendary jewels of the
Kunlun Mountains.
~ Muso Soseki (1275-1351)