an old writer and his words

  • PLAYIN’ WHAT’S NOT THERE

    Some say Miles said it’s the space between the notes –that’s where the music is.We heard him, we smiled,we anticipated the nextnote and the next.Outside my windowa blue jayrecites his morning prayer,the child’s laughbreaks the frozen skyand shivers the maple.Then all is silence –even the windholds its breathnot in anticipationbut to create the voidthat nature…

    Lou Faber

  • FUKETSU’S SPECK OF DUST

    Sitting on the cushionwhen you think,there is only this thoughtand the next thought,and the cushionhas no purpose.When there isno thought, there isonly this momentand the cushionis the entire world. A reflection on Case 34 of the Book of Equanimity (従容錄, Shōyōroku)

    Lou Faber

  • EVER FAITHFUL

    We are, after all, merely humanso we are fraught with questionsand lacking answers, willingto take things on faith on occasion. Take God, for example, althoughsome say He is uniquely exemplary,we want to know if God is a he,a she, or to cover all our bases, a they. And when we ask for a sign weoften…

    Lou Faber

  • MESA

    This nightin cold moonlightearth rises upclouds float downghosts walk the margin.Old ones singnow shall be thenolder ones still singthen shall be onceto wolf and coyote.In this season of north windssun’s heat barrenspirits rise updreams descendman lies interspersed.Women singwe are bearersmen singwe are sowers. First appeared in Dipity, Vol. 3, April 2023

    Lou Faber

  • SANSHO’S GOLDEN CARP

    If you askyour teacherto show you the Dharmahe will lookat you and remainsilent.If you asknothingof your teacherhe willshow youthe wholeof the Dharma. A reflection on Case 33 of the Book of Equanimity (Shoyoroku 従容錄)

    Lou Faber

  • THE ULTIMATE PATH IS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY

    How long have youwandered about searchingfor the correct path?Clearly you have notfound it but you refuseto give up the searchcertain it is there.Will you recognize itif you stumble across it?How do you decidewhere you should look?Look down, you arestanding on it as you havebeen since you began. A reflection on Case 2 of the Blue…

    Lou Faber

  • AT PRESENT

    Somewhere in the worldat this very moment,something remarkableis being laid to ruin.It is our nature to tear downwhat we cannot understand,what we hold different,what does not comportwith our present viewof how things ought to be.Somewhere in the worldat this very momentsomething remarkableis being born,is being created,is arisingout of an idea,a thought, an emotion.We are allsomewhere…

    Lou Faber

  • HOGEN POINTS TO THE BLIND

    As you go about searchingfor what are you looking?What is there you want to gainwhat do you fear you lack?When you see there isneither gain nor lossthen you haveall that you need. A reflection on Case 27 of the Book of Equanimity, 従容錄, Shōyōroku

    Lou Faber

  • WWYD

    How often have I seen somethinglike WWBD – what would Buddha do –but lately I’ve stoppedto think about that. What if old Gautama Siddharthawere to arrive here, now,what would the Buddha doin a world gone wholly mad? Would he bother with sutras,bother with teishos to the fewstill willing to listen, or wouldhe check himself into…

    Lou Faber

  • KYOZAN POINTS TO SNOW

    When you comesearching for a keyto unlock the doorto NirvanaI will ask youto completea simple task.All you need to dois go to the oceanand select the onedrop of water differentfrom all of the others. A reflection on Case 26 of the Book of Equanimity, 従容錄, Shōyōroku

    Lou Faber