an old writer and his words

  • NANSEN’S CONTENT AND CONTAINER

    Bring me your mindbut leave the body behind,this is what you must doto attain enlightenment.You may sit where you arein total silence, oryou may come over hereand sit quietly at my feet.Both paths leaddeeply into the way. A reflection on Case 64 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo Koans (True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber

  • TOZAN’S DISCLOSING MIND

    Many would sayI think therefore I amand it is only deaththat takes away all thoughtand so to walk deeplyalong the Path, allthat is requiredis to truly live the Wayby allowingthe mind to die. A reflection on case 62 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo Koans (True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber

  • NO MOMENT

    You wanted a zen moment,more than one actually,but were not surewhere to look. You wandered aboutlooking forthe right pathsaidyou never found it. There isno zen moment,there isno right path there isthis paththis momentonly.

    Lou Faber

  • ISAN’S EXPLORING SPIRITUAL POWERS

    If you mustfollow the Way, youmay read the Dharmafor hours on endor you may brewa pot of teafor your teacher, orbring your studenta towel and basin.Which two stepsalong the waywill you take? A reflection on Case 61 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo Koans (True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber

  • JOSHU’S BUDDHA

    If you go in search of Buddhashould you see him, donot stop or speak but run away.If you do not see the Buddharun away from that place.If you stop, to take waterfrom the edge of a still pondlook carefully, forthe Buddha is therejust above the water’s surface. A reflection on case 80 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo…

    Lou Faber

  • IN SILENCE

    Sitting in stillness, the silenceis at first shocking, deafeningin a way unimagined but there.Within the lack of sound liesa thousand sounds younever heard in the din of life.You hear the young monk at Senso-jiapproach the great bell and pullback on the log shu-moku, straining.You hear the laugh of school agedchildren hand in hand walking throughthe…

    Lou Faber

  • ONLY A BUDDHA AND A BUDDHA

    We walk forwardto try and seewhere we are going,always wantingbut never seeingwhere we have been.Is it better towalk backwardseeing clearlywhere we will not gowithout ideaof a destination.Look down and decide. A reflection on Case 92 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo Koans (True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber

  • HOFUKO’S POINT OF ATTAINMENT

    You may ask many thingsof any teacher you meetbut the wisest of themwill only offer youunending questions.When you look to themto point you to the Waythey are doomed to failurefor your feet obscurethe Way, and it is onlyby looking withinand down through your legsand feet and toesthat you can see the way A reflection on…

    Lou Faber

  • UMMON’S MOUNT SUMERU

    When you ask your teacherwhat happens when youstop thinking, allowno new thoughtswhat you expect himto tell you? The dead have no thoughtsbut that is not the doorto Nirvana. But if thoughts abandon youwithout your effort, withoutbeing asked to do so,then the door you seekwill open before you. A reflection on case 19 of the Book…

    Lou Faber

  • ON THE HORIZON

    In crossing the event horizondualities collapse and crumble.God and Satan are again mergedinto a unity, pressed into diamondits glint that of a thousand suns. We follow as we must, for nowthere is neither good nor evil,there merely is, and we have foundthe path we have been seekingon the road to our sigularity.

    Lou Faber