In times past in Asia and during the spread of the dharma in the West, newly recognized Zen masters frequently went off on their own to practice and teach the dharma, often starting their own centers of teaching. One time I spoke with Zen Master Seung Sahn about this and asked him, “Why did you create teacher groups to oversee our school?” He said, “Top man cannot see his own karma.”
Great faith doesn’t mean faith in something, or faith that things will turn out your way. Faith needs no object. It’s living life in the way your foot meets the ground in walking. Your foot never wonders if the ground is there for it.
Many people are using an Ox to give us encouragement for the Year of Ox. On our first day of the lunar year, Zen Master Seong Hyang told us on Zoom about the Ox having a stomach with four compartments, and each compartment having a different function.
Buddha said very clearly that humans have five main desires: food, sleep, sex, money, fame. As we grow these five desires all become stronger.
Many people try to control their thinking. First, they try to solve their thinking. They try to make bad thinking correct. They try to make themselves right. That’s usually the first course.
We lead these very complicated lay lives. We are not monks, we are not nuns, and we all have responsibilities. The question is how do you practice?
Nobody guarantees our life. So if there is anything that you think may be useful, just now is the time to use it.
Poem from the Mu Mun Kwan
Recently I heard a story about two wolves. In this story, a grandfather was teaching his grandchildren about life.
6. If I shout someone’s name and they immediately answer, “Yes!” –that is true nature. True nature has no birth or death. It can’t catch fire, get wet, or be cut with a knife. It is completely free and without hindrance.