|
June 2023
Dear Friends,
It happens so often in a single day that we hardly register its occurrence. A challenge is presented and we must respond. If we adhere to our habitual playbook, the true way is lost to everyone. On the other hand, if we ignore the predicament, we fall into the deep well of negation. What to do? We have a responsibility to embody the dharma here (and everywhere).
In our kong-an collection, a challenge is issued by one dharma friend to his two companions:
Nan-ch’uan, Kuei-tsung, and Ma-yu went together to pay respects to National Teacher Hui-chung. When they got halfway there, Nan-ch’uan drew a circle on the ground and said, “If you can speak correctly, then we will continue our journey.”
Kuei-tsung sat down inside the circle and Ma-yu curtseyed.
Nan-ch’uan said, “If that’s so, we cannot go on!”
Can you recognize the metaphor here for what we do to each other every day? Already, as Zen students, we have a clear template for finding our true way—wake up to the infinitely spacious realm of possibility, see clearly the present moment condition, situation, and relationship. Only then will our fitting function naturally appear. Only then can a truly intimate and intuitive wisdom manifest. Just do it!
Yours in the endlessly unmapped territories of dharma,
Jeong Ji
| 
