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LIVING ALONE 鐵笛倒吹 九十四
Why do you climb the mountain and seek entry into the small cabin. Why do you give up your home in the valley. You should be turned away for if you seek a higher understanding you demonstrate to all there is no depth to your practice. A reflection on Case 94 of the Iron Flute…
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Think Neither Good Nor Evil 無門關 二十三
A robe is infinitely heavy, the mountain weighs less than a feather you can move neither but the you before you carries both like a breath. A reflection on Case 23 of the Mumonkan (the Gateless Gate Koans)
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ON THE ROAD TO NIRVANA
S: What are you doing, for heaven sake? H: Isn’t it obvious, I’m searching for Nirvana, for enlightenment. S: You silly fool, it’s right behind you! H: (turning suddenly) It is not, I would certainly see it. S: You might think so, but it is still right behind you!…
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WHO?
I was looking for you, he said, and I was looking for myself she replied, and here we are and neither of us has succeeded in our quest, for I have not found myself, so you cannot find me. I shall stop looking for you, he said and perhaps you will appear. for I am…
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NO MIND IS THE WAY
If you think about it, it will suddenly disappear, if you do not think about it, it will reappear, but do not try and understand for understanding can only come from the final surrender of understanding. It is the back of your head in a mirrorless world which others see but you can not. A…
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NO MIND, NO BUDDHA
Baso knows well only the ox truly understands the yoke but if you offer it the ox will not accept. Why would you seek to become the ox as it would be better to burn the yoke. A reflection on case 33 of the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate)
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KENSHO
It will arrive before you know it, will be gone again before you realize it was even here. This is how it is supposed to be, Even if not how we want it. We will know it had been there and that needs to be enough for we would try and grasp it, try to…
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AS IT SHOULD BE
Day gives way to night. Life gives way to death. Truth gives way to truth and falsity to falsity. Nothing moves, nothing cedes, all is constant. This is enso, one stroke, complete and incomplete and this is mu. You may enter freely, but will never leave, and once captured you have never been here and…
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RISHO’S POEM
Have you been here – who will know? The sun and moon record your journey. What you release gathers joyously around you, what you cling to flies off on the slightest breeze, mountain and cloud enfold each other. Will you join them? A reflection on case 35 of the Iron Flute Koans.
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TRIANGULATION
He says that foremost Mao Zedong was a poet, and knew that all poetry must at some level be political, must incite the reader to rebel against complacency. I say that Zhao Zhenkai wrote as Bei Dao as the ultimate act of rebellion, sacrificing his very identity. He says that I am anchored by the…
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an old writer and his words 