an old writer and his words

  • BUDDHA HOLDS OUT A FLOWER 無門關 六

    Shakyamuniholds up a fadinglotus flowerand we sit silently awaiting, not knowingpatient, afraid to smileto move, to shift posturemudra one smiles,dharma is transmitted,the kenshoof yellowed teeth. A reflection on Case 5 of the Mumonkan 無門関 (The Gateless Gate Koans)

    Lou Faber

  • ELAINE

    It’s 12 degreesthe night airslices throughmy sweatermy teeth chatter.Standing in the lotfetching my cell phonefrom the glove boxmy breath congealsaround my facea cloud.I look upat the moonsnowflakes dancingon my forehead.Luna’s faceis shroudedby a cirrus veil,but her eyesare yoursher lips softcaressingcurl upwardsin a smileas yours.I tell herof my loveand she whispersher lovereflectivelyin the voiceI hearas I…

    Lou Faber

  • THE NATIONAL TEACHER’S SEAMLESS TOMB

    If a teacher asks youwhether you are searchingfor this or for thathow do you answer him?If you say for thishe will frown, butif you say for thathe will also frown.If you say there isno this or that,there only is,he will smile the smileof the Buddha. A reflection on Case 84 of the Book of Equanimity…

    Lou Faber

  • CHOSHA ADVANCES A STEP

    If you are askedby your teacherhow your practiceis going, will you sayit goes wellor will you sayit goes badly.If you say eitherthe teacher may frown.But the teacherwill smile whenyou say it goesand nothing more. A reflection on case 79 of the Book of Equanimity (従容錄, Shōyōroku)

    Lou Faber

  • NANQUAN’S “NOTHING SPECIAL”

    While you are sitting zazenfacing the wallif your teachertaps you on the shoulderand asks what you are doinghow do you respond?If you say “I amdoing zazen,”he will frown.If you say “I amfacing the wall,”he will frown, butif you say “I amdoing nothing”he will smile. A reflection on case 87 of Shinji Shobogenzo 真字正法眼蔵 (True Dharma…

    Lou Faber

  • SEEING YOU AGAIN

    I saw you again yesterday, as I haveso often recently and once again thoughtof approaching you for there is muchI would like to know about you and howwe ended up in the same place.But once again I sensed that youwanted solitude, wanted notto be disturbed, not to be questioned.You did smile briefly, a momentarysoftening of…

    Lou Faber

  • THE FAR SHORE

    The old monkstanding alongsidethe ever still pondpicks up a pebbleand tosses itinto the pond.The ripplesspread outever wideras the Buddhaon the far shoresimply smiles.

    Lou Faber

  • A MOMENT

    A night of broken dreams,a day of trembling handsminutes of knocking kneeswearing a path into an alreadyaging and worn wooden deck.A moment of sight,a moment when time stoppedand words failed, paralyzedby fear, by beauty, by a smile.A meal prattling on, tryingto see signs, not knowing whatthose signs might be.Twenty-three years of a joyI hadn’t known…

    Lou Faber

  • MORE AND LONGER

    He arrived suddenly, for that was his way,always with a glad hand and a smile,he was welcomed freely, expected or not.He was a bedouin, the world his deserta gypsy of sorts now here then there then . . .,well that would be determined later.Some hoped he would remain, forgea physical closeness to match withtheir feeling…

    Lou Faber

  • AMUSEMENT

    Life, he said with his ever present smile,is very much like an amusement park.The preacher, priest, rabbi standsat the ticket booth, gladly taking your moneyand telling you to have a good time,but reminding you of the penaltyfor not following the rules he or shehands you, neatly bound and printedin longer or shorter versions dependingon who…

    Lou Faber