an old writer and his words

  • AN INVITATION FOR THE PATRIARCH

    Do not ask meto recite the DharmaWhen I am breathingthere is only breath inand breath out.Be like the poor manlost and wanderinggoing nowhere, eachbreath the only breath.Having nothing, simplybeing. A reflection on case 3 of the Book of Equanimity Koans

    Lou Faber

  • WANDERING NO MORE

    In my dreams I wanderedthe alleys of Lisbon searchingfor a familiar face, and manycame close, but no man stopped meand asked if I was, by chancehis son, for he dreamed Iwas what a son of hiswould look like. Now I have no need to wanderfor I know he is ina military cemeteryin Burlington, New Jersey,and…

    Lou Faber

  • BOOK TWO

    So if I have it right, Godmanaged to come up with tenplagues for Moses to visiton Pharaoh, although at the timeMoses probably could notunderstand why it was ten,since God was boundlesslycreative, or so He told Moses. Maybe it dawned on Moseswhen wandering in the desertthat ten was a convenient number,after all, he only gave Mosesten…

    Lou Faber

  • GUIDEBOOK HELL

    When did we decide we neededa manual for everything, a field guideto living, tour books piled highbefore we leave on a trip,having meant to read themand dragging one or two alongto study when we get there? Ask yourself what you mighthave seen in some foreign citywith the time you spenthead buried in a tour guidelearning…

    Lou Faber

  • FOUR VOWS

    I can’t recall how many timesI’ve recited the four vows, howI strive to follow the eightfold path,and yet I do wander offbut never, I would add, intentionally. Just yesterday after morning sittingand the Gratitude ceremony,we gathered on in our ever more important Zoom worldtrying to tighten the threads of Sangha. It was light, joyous, and Iwithout…

    Lou Faber

  • KYOSEI’S STICK 鐵笛倒吹 六十四

    If Kyosei asksfrom where I have comehow will I answer him?If he asks wheremy teacher liveswhat will I tell him? Such a fool I amto wander from there to herefrom here to another placeseeking a pathon which Iam always standing still.Thirty blows isthe least I deserve.But Kyosei withdrawsthe stick. A reflection on Case 64 of…

    Lou Faber

  • WANDER WHY

    The path meandered more than he rememberedbut he was the first to admithis memory was never his strongest suit.It didn’t help that he had consumedtwo margaritas at lunch, and even hedidn’t believe the excuse that this wasa slow day for him, still sober at two in the afternoon.But he wandered the path, for thatis what…

    Lou Faber

  • COGITO

    In many ways thoughts are very much like cats. By that I mean that they are known to wander in and stay as long as they like and never a moment longer. If you feed or stroke them they may linger, but please rest assured that if you really want them to stay, try though…

    Lou Faber

  • ALONG THE WAY

      There are those desperately searching, who stumble along the way, tripping over the dharma gems lying in their path. Others proceed slowly, pausing to examine each pebble, each twig uncertain if it, just possibly, was the key to enlightenment. I wander along, going nowhere, knowing that is where the path must lead, and I…

    Lou Faber

  • ONE FLAVOR ZEN

    How far must you wander to taste the pure essence, hear the pure note, see deeply into beauty, smell the first flower of spring, touch another heart? Will you grow tired from standing still in total silence contemplating this? A reflection on Shobogenzo Case 65 (Dogen’s True Dharma Eye)

    Lou Faber