With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
There was once a monk named Tanzan. Tanzan was an older monk and did not pay close attention to the rules. He ate when he was hungry, slept when he was sleepy. He drank wine on occasion even though intoxicants were forbidden.
One day Tanzan and another monk were walking along and they arrived at a stream. There was a young woman at the stream trying to cross without muddying herself. Tanzan simply picked her up and carried her across the stream, placing her back on the ground, he put his palms together, bowed and continued on his way. Sometime later, Tanzan's companion criticized Tanzan for having touched the young woman by carrying her across the stream. Tanzan simply said to his younger brother, "I put her down miles ago, why is it you still carry her with you?"
Each of us has an opportunity each moment to renew ourselves. Carrying the burdens of the past prevents this. In each moment, be a buddha. When you are angry, be angry and let it go. When you are sad, be sad and let it go. When you are happy, be happy and let it go. To experience life fully and completely is being a buddha. To live in the past or in worrry or anticipation of the future is to be asleep.
Be well.
5 comments:
Wow. I just found your blog after a post on Penguin Runners. Thank you for hosting it. This post is JUST what I needed to read today.
Such a dificult taks sometimes to be in the present moment, but its a good reminder reading your post.
Thanks
Bruno
Hello Linae!
How nice to see you here! Thank you for reading and especially for taking the time to post a comment.
Bruno. You know what I did once? When I was beginning my practice some few years ago, I set my watch to "beep" every hour. At each beep of the hour, I put my hands in my lap and paid attention to my breath for a minute or two. During this time, I just let things be, let them settle, if you will, like dust in the air. Each hour became a 'mindfulness bell' which aided me in coming to myself. Whatever works, I suppose, but the key is to establish and maintain a practice.
Be well.
Good day all,
Love this story, it's one of my favorites. Two stories here really. First, living in the moment. But also doing what is appropriate. When Tanzan was hungry, he ate. When tired, he slept. When confronted with the opportunity to assist another, he did. All this in the face of what he was "supposed" to do. Because it's what needed to be done.
Maybe a third point is thinking for yourself. I'll stop before I delineate the existence of the universe.:p In gassho, Guy
Thanks for your kind words :)
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