Wisdom for the Day

The student Doken was told to go on a long journey to another monastery. He was much upset, because he felt that this trip would interrupt his studies for many months. So he said to his friend, the advanced student Sogen:

"Please ask permission to come with me on the trip. There are so many things I do not know; but if you come along we can discuss them - in this way I can learn as we travel."

"All right," said Sogen. "But let me ask you a question: If you are hungry, what satisfaction to you if I eat rice? If your feet are lame, what comfort to you if I go on merrily? If your bladder is full, what relief to you if I piss?"

Wisdom for the Day

If I am holding a cup of water and I ask you, "is the cup empty?" you will say "No, it is full of water."

But if I pour out the water and I ask you again, you may say, "yes, it is empty." But, empty of what?

My cup is empty of water, but it is not empty of air. To be empty is to be empty of something. When Avalokita says that the five skandas are equally empty, to help him be precise we must ask, "Mr. Avalokita, empty of what?"

The five Skandas, which may be translated into English as the five heaps, or five aggregates, are the five elements that comprise the human being. In fact, these are really five rivers flowing together in us: the river of form, which means our body, the river of mental formations, the river of feelings, the river of perceptions, and the river of consciousness. They are always flowing within us. Avalokita looked deeply into the five skandas and discovered none of them can be by itself alone. Form is empty of a separate self, but it is full of everything else in the cosmos. The same is true with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.

Thich Nat Hanh

The Heart of Understanding

Wisdom for the Day

A samurai asked Zen Master Hakuin where he would go after he died.

Hakuin answered 'How am I supposed to know?'

'How do you not know? You're a Zen master!' exclaimed the samurai.

'Yes, but not a dead one,' Hakuin answered.

Wisdom for the Day

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old;
seek what they sought.

- Basho

Wisdom for the Day

Any fool can know. The point is to understand

- Albert Einstein

Wisdom for the Day

If you understand, things are just as they are.

If you do not understand, things are just as they are.

Wisdom for the Day

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.

- The Buddha

Wisdom for the Day

We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.

- Lao Tzu

Wisdom for the day

The Emperor asked Master Gudo, "What happens to a man of enlightenment after death?"

"How should I know?" replied Gudo.

"Because you are a master," answered the Emperor.

"Yes sir," said Gudo, "but not a dead one."

Wisdom for the day

A priest was in charge of the garden within a famous Zen temple. He had been given the job because he loved the flowers, shrubs, and trees. Next to the temple there was another, smaller temple where there lived a very old Zen master. One day, when the priest was expecting some special guests, he took extra care in tending to the garden. He pulled the weeds, trimmed the shrubs, combed the moss, and spent a long time meticulously raking up and carefully arranging all the dry autumn leaves. As he worked, the old master watched him with interest from across the wall that separated the temples.

When he had finished, the priest stood back to admire his work. "Isn't it beautiful," he called out to the old master. "Yes," replied the old man, "but there is something missing. Help me over this wall and I'll put it right for you."

After hesitating, the priest lifted the old fellow over and set him down. Slowly, the master walked to the tree near the center of the garden, grabbed it by the trunk, and shook it. Leaves showered down all over the garden. "There," said the old man, "you can put me back now."

Wisdom for the day

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl and again the scorpion fell in. The monk saved the scorpion and was again stung. The other monk asked him, "Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know it's nature is to sting?"

"Because," the monk replied, "to save it is my nature."

Wisdom for the day

One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really enjoying themselves."

"You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know that they are enjoying themselves."

"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"

Reminder of upcoming events

Mindfulness Weekend Retreat

Therese Fitzgerald will lead "Minding the Mind"

Thursday, October 14 thru Sunday, October 17, 2010

at The Stone House in Mebane, North Carolina


Read about Therese's work.

Download PDF flyer

Download registration form

Wisdom for the day

One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?

The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".

Wisdom for the day

A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross, they saw a young woman hesitating on the river bank, clearly stymied by the strong, swift current.

The junior monk walked straight past her without giving it a thought and crossed the river. The senior monk offered to help the woman and carried her across piggy-back style. The junior monk was very upset, but said nothing.

As the journey continued, the senior monk could see that the junior monk had something of concern on his mind, and asked what was wrong. The junior monk replied, "How could you carry that woman like that? You know we can't touch women, it's against our way of life". The senior monk answered, "I left the woman at the rivers edge a long way back, why are you still carrying her?"

Wisdom for the day

A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a lantern to carry home with him.

"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me."

"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend replied, "but if you don’t have one, someone else may run into you. So you must take it."

The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can’t you see this lantern?"

"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.

Wisdom for the day

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth very angry.

"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"

Wisdom for the day

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

Wisdom for the day

A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!"

"It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly.

A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!'

"It will pass," the teacher replied matter-of-factly.

Upcoming Events

Day of Mindfulness

Saturday Sept 11, the Healing Ground Retreat Center in Greensboro

Led by Diana Hawes and Bill Patterson.

Click here for more information.

Suggested donation $25 to $50.


Mindfulness Weekend Retreat

Therese Fitzgerald will lead "Minding the Mind"

Thursday, October 14 thru Sunday, October 17, 2010

at The Stone House in Mebane, North Carolina

Read about Therese's work.

Download PDF flyer

Download registration form

Wisdom for the day

There once was a monastery that was very strict. Following a vow of silence, no one was allowed to speak at all. But there was one exception to this rule. Every ten years, the monks were permitted to speak just two words. After spending his first ten years at the monastery, one monk went to the abbot.

"It has been ten years," said the abbot. "What are the two words you would like to speak?"

"Bed... hard..." said the monk.

"I see," replied the abbot.

Ten years later, the monk returned to the abbot's office. "It has been ten more years," said the abbot. "What are the two words you would like to speak?"

"Food... stinks..." said the monk.

"I see," replied the abbot.

Yet another ten years passed and the monk once again met with the abbot who asked, "What are your two words now, after these ten years?"

"I... quit!" said the monk.

"Well, I can see why," replied the abbot. "All you ever do is complain."

Wisdom for the day

One day the Master announced that a young monk had reached an advanced state of enlightment. The news caused some stir. Some of the monks went to see the young monk.

"We heard you are enlightened. Is that true?" they asked.

"It is," he replied.

"And how do you feel?"

"As miserable as ever," said the monk.

Wisdom for the day

One day Mara, the tempter, was travelling through the villages of India with his attendants. He saw a man doing walking meditation when the man's face lit up in wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. Mara’s attendant asked what the man had seen. Mara replied, "A piece of truth."

"Doesn’t it bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?" his attendant asked.

"No," Mara replied. "Right afterwards they usually make a belief out of it."

Wisdom for the day

One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen temple. Parts of it even collapsed. Many of the monks were terrified. When the earthquake stopped the teacher said, "Now you have had the opportunity to see how a Zen master behaves in a crisis situation. You may have noticed that I did not panic. I was quite aware of what was happening and what to do. I led you all to the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good decision, because you see we have all survived without any injuries. However, despite my self-control and composure, I did feel a little bit tense - which you may have deduced from the fact that I drank a large glass of water, something I never do under ordinary circumstances."

One of the monks smiled, but didn't say anything.

"What are you laughing at?" asked the teacher.

"That wasn't water," the monk replied, "it was a large glass of soy sauce."

Upcoming Events

Day of Mindfulness

Saturday Sept 11, the Healing Ground Retreat Center in Greensboro

Led by Diana Hawes and Bill Patterson.

Click here for more information.

Suggested donation $25 to $50.

Mindfulness Weekend Retreat

Therese Fitzgerald will lead "Minding the Mind"

Thursday, October 14 thru Sunday, October 17, 2010

at The Stone House in Mebane, North Carolina

Read about Therese's work.

Download PDF flyer

Download registration form

Wisdom for the day

A Zen master lay dying. The monks gathered around his deathbed, and the senior monk leans over and asks the master for any final words of wisdom. The old master weakly says, "Tell them Truth is like a river." The senior monk relays this message on to the other monks. The youngest monk in the group is confused, and asks, "What does he mean that Truth is like a river?" The senior monk relays this question to the master, and the master replies, "O.K., Truth is not like a river."