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We always seem to be searching for something that’s just out of reach. We might not even be sure what we’re looking for, but we hold out hope that it will fill up that hollow ache deep in our heart. When we finally catch a glimpse of it and reach out, it slips right through our fingers. And when we finally do get a taste, it’s never as sweet as we had imagined. So we keep searching.
In our Zen tradition, this “something” takes the form of a golden fish — a metaphor for realization. It’s much more valuable than money, fame, sex or power. It swims with complete freedom in an ocean beyond time and space, unencumbered by any net.
So how does one go about catching it? If you desire it too strongly, you’ll become even more entangled in nets of your own. If you passively wait for it to jump into your little boat, you can wait a long time.
Perhaps there’s an even more important point to consider. Whether you’ve brought this fish to hand or find yourself scanning the water for the flick of a tail, how will you put this moment to good use? Not only for yourself, but for all beings.
That’s the heart of the Bodhisattva path.
Jeong Bong
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