A farmer lived in the days when fighting was going on between small kingdoms in China. This farmer had a son.
His son, with the aid of the horse, was tilling a small field. One day the horse ran away. The neighbors came and said, 'It's a very bad thing. You have such bad luck." The farmer said, "Maybe."
So the next day the horse came back with half a dozen other wild horses. The neighbors came again and they said, "What tremendous luck." So he said, "Maybe."
On the third day the son, while trying to ride one of the wild horses, fell and broke his leg. Again, the neighbors came and said what bad luck it was, and the farmer said, "Maybe."
The next day the king's people came to recruit strong healthy farmers into the army. When they found this farmer's son with a broken leg they left him alone. So, again, the neighbors came and said it wasn't such bad luck after all and that everything had turned out well. The farmer said, again, "Maybe."
By saying "Maybe", the farmer shows acceptance of the trials of life and surrender to the Absolute. He lets go of clinging to this life, and lets God work in his mysterious ways.
While the farmer could have reacted to the three misfortunes that happened to him, he didn't. Instead, he ignored his neighbours who attributed his misfortune to luck but held his peace. Therefore misfortune is not due to luck at all; nor is good fortune.
Circumstances will happen for a reason that we cannot fully understand, and only through maintaining this farmer's stoicness are we able to open our eyes to the truth.
By accepting the trials of life without lamentation, the wise are able to surrender to the Absolute. This is known as "letting go and letting God."
Showing posts with label letting go. Show all posts
Showing posts with label letting go. Show all posts
20140130
Buddhist Mysticism: The Art of Surrendering
Surrendering
Quotations from Dennis Genpo Merzel
In our practice, really to fail, once and for all, to fail absolutely and completely: that is it.
(p. 112)
"Practice" refers to Zen meditation. Failure is the essence of surrender.
When you give it all up, you get it all. You end up losing absolutely nothing, other than some well cherished opinions and ideas.
(p. 39)
"Give it all up" refers to surrendering. By surrendering the ego to Zen meditation, the rewards are many: happiness, love, patience — these are all transformed into their positive forms.
The very effort to stop the ceaseless movement of thoughts keeps us stirred up. Just give up all this effort to stop thinking! Fruitful effort is to let go of effort. Strive to stop striving! When you do, everything settles by itself.
(p. 31)
Why try to stop the ceaseless movement of thoughts then? There is no point in trying to stop thinking. It is easier to follow each thought as they come and go. By letting go of "stop thinking", the calm mind arises eventually. This is what is meant by "everything settles by itself."
And what really happens the moment you say, 'OK, thoughts, come up, I welcome you!' Suddenly there are no thoughts! What is happening? 'Come on, thoughts, where are you?' Except for an occasional blip, they stop arising.
(p. 96)
When the Zen practitioner becomes open to the ceaseless movement of thoughts, all of his thoughts will leave him less stirred up. In the end, he shall achieve "no-thought" with little effort. Even when he goes looking for them during the practice, the movement of thought no longer distract him.
It is a simple fact: whatever you resist will persist. If you are resisting suffering, you suffer more. If you are resisting confusion, you remain confused. If you are looking for peace, you find yourself constantly disturbed. If you are seeking after clarity, you are in a muddle. If you do not want to be angry, you are going to walk around angry. If you do not mind being angry, you will never be bothered about anger, because you will not be holding on to it. Having no opinion for or against, just being open to whatever comes, you are free.
(p. 97)"
By resisting change, the thinking mind will continue. That which you resist may cause its opposite to arise, be it suffering, confusion and even peace. The Zen practitioner ought not mind being angry until he is no longer bothered about it, due to letting go of it. Likewise, to neither be for or against the opinions you hold dear, is true liberation.
By surrendering to the ceaseless movements of thoughts, I develop the ability to rise above them and not let them stir up my feelings.
Thus, letting go of "thinking" by returning to "breathing", no-thought is achieved.
Despite the ebb and flow of "just thinking", it is still possible to be free of their influence. By not minding being angry, I am able to let go of anger.
By not clinging to anger, I am free of it.
Indeed, by not clinging to thoughts, true freedom arises.
This is what the art of surrendering is about.
Originally posted: October 17, 2003 3:27 AM
Quotations from Dennis Genpo Merzel
In our practice, really to fail, once and for all, to fail absolutely and completely: that is it.
(p. 112)
"Practice" refers to Zen meditation. Failure is the essence of surrender.
When you give it all up, you get it all. You end up losing absolutely nothing, other than some well cherished opinions and ideas.
(p. 39)
"Give it all up" refers to surrendering. By surrendering the ego to Zen meditation, the rewards are many: happiness, love, patience — these are all transformed into their positive forms.
The very effort to stop the ceaseless movement of thoughts keeps us stirred up. Just give up all this effort to stop thinking! Fruitful effort is to let go of effort. Strive to stop striving! When you do, everything settles by itself.
(p. 31)
Why try to stop the ceaseless movement of thoughts then? There is no point in trying to stop thinking. It is easier to follow each thought as they come and go. By letting go of "stop thinking", the calm mind arises eventually. This is what is meant by "everything settles by itself."
And what really happens the moment you say, 'OK, thoughts, come up, I welcome you!' Suddenly there are no thoughts! What is happening? 'Come on, thoughts, where are you?' Except for an occasional blip, they stop arising.
(p. 96)
When the Zen practitioner becomes open to the ceaseless movement of thoughts, all of his thoughts will leave him less stirred up. In the end, he shall achieve "no-thought" with little effort. Even when he goes looking for them during the practice, the movement of thought no longer distract him.
It is a simple fact: whatever you resist will persist. If you are resisting suffering, you suffer more. If you are resisting confusion, you remain confused. If you are looking for peace, you find yourself constantly disturbed. If you are seeking after clarity, you are in a muddle. If you do not want to be angry, you are going to walk around angry. If you do not mind being angry, you will never be bothered about anger, because you will not be holding on to it. Having no opinion for or against, just being open to whatever comes, you are free.
(p. 97)"
By resisting change, the thinking mind will continue. That which you resist may cause its opposite to arise, be it suffering, confusion and even peace. The Zen practitioner ought not mind being angry until he is no longer bothered about it, due to letting go of it. Likewise, to neither be for or against the opinions you hold dear, is true liberation.
By surrendering to the ceaseless movements of thoughts, I develop the ability to rise above them and not let them stir up my feelings.
Thus, letting go of "thinking" by returning to "breathing", no-thought is achieved.
Despite the ebb and flow of "just thinking", it is still possible to be free of their influence. By not minding being angry, I am able to let go of anger.
By not clinging to anger, I am free of it.
Indeed, by not clinging to thoughts, true freedom arises.
This is what the art of surrendering is about.
Originally posted: October 17, 2003 3:27 AM
20121231
Like the Essence of Dharma (poem)
Hard it is to be born poor,
even harder to accept is
becoming poor when once rich.
Free are creatures small
that fly about or crawl,
but freer still is Man.
Liberation is a process binding
all sentient beings to samsara,
yet freeing the one thing
sentient being have: consciousness.
For it is the consciousness
that Nirvana frees, not the soul.
For consciousness is non-self,
and on contemplating
the whole universe,
is contained within the heart-mind.
When such joy is found,
easy is the peace of mind
regardless of want.
Craving thus ended is gone,
replaced by calm abiding.
Easier is acceptance
of one's lot in life,
to not strive needlessly, lest
the joy of being
is traded in for gold.
For the joy of being is
more precious than gold itself.
It is more precious
than the sweet life.
Those who have never tasted
the sweetness of life
are free of mental caries
which lead to sadness —
they know the Void is all things.
For the Void is the Buddha womb
which gives birth to peace,
within your heart-mind, but calls
out to you calmly,
that peace called Buddha Nature.
All "I", "me", or "mine"
are but conceptions, not things
which last forever &mdash
If "I" truly existed,
it would always weep
for lack of profit, but then
the selfless know well
the folly of such delusions.
If "me" existed,what would be
the point of "you" except
to make the world less lonely?
If "mine" existed, would that
allow "yours" to share?
Thinking these conceptions things,
each of us is free to choose
the delusions or let go
of it, to uncover peace of mind.
With peace comes the calm mind,
achieved through careful contemplation
whilst letting go of conceptions,
and holding onto nothingness,
the seed of well being,
freed in spite of strife,
close to the struggle called life,
yet closer still in the midst of
physical poverty to the endless process
called by many names: freedom,
joy of being, letting go, liberation...
Ignore the distraction of egoistic Love,
lest it be the death of Nirvana.
Holding tightly, the ignorant fear such freedom —
death overtakes everyone.
And yet, the Buddha
Shows a shining example.
Letting go, the seeker is free
to explore nothingness,
which is filled with potential
far greater than death:
the pure joy of peace of mind!
Where once these words first brought fear,
they shall bring joy on the retelling.
Contained within what was written is like
the essence of the Dharma,
but feel free to doubt this.
To anyone who fails to research anything
written here, and, in fleeing, hides
behind disbelief: walk on with lack of faith
but respect the Buddha as the mother of boundless joy.
even harder to accept is
becoming poor when once rich.
Free are creatures small
that fly about or crawl,
but freer still is Man.
Liberation is a process binding
all sentient beings to samsara,
yet freeing the one thing
sentient being have: consciousness.
For it is the consciousness
that Nirvana frees, not the soul.
For consciousness is non-self,
and on contemplating
the whole universe,
is contained within the heart-mind.
When such joy is found,
easy is the peace of mind
regardless of want.
Craving thus ended is gone,
replaced by calm abiding.
Easier is acceptance
of one's lot in life,
to not strive needlessly, lest
the joy of being
is traded in for gold.
For the joy of being is
more precious than gold itself.
It is more precious
than the sweet life.
Those who have never tasted
the sweetness of life
are free of mental caries
which lead to sadness —
they know the Void is all things.
For the Void is the Buddha womb
which gives birth to peace,
within your heart-mind, but calls
out to you calmly,
that peace called Buddha Nature.
All "I", "me", or "mine"
are but conceptions, not things
which last forever &mdash
If "I" truly existed,
it would always weep
for lack of profit, but then
the selfless know well
the folly of such delusions.
If "me" existed,what would be
the point of "you" except
to make the world less lonely?
If "mine" existed, would that
allow "yours" to share?
Thinking these conceptions things,
each of us is free to choose
the delusions or let go
of it, to uncover peace of mind.
With peace comes the calm mind,
achieved through careful contemplation
whilst letting go of conceptions,
and holding onto nothingness,
the seed of well being,
freed in spite of strife,
close to the struggle called life,
yet closer still in the midst of
physical poverty to the endless process
called by many names: freedom,
joy of being, letting go, liberation...
Ignore the distraction of egoistic Love,
lest it be the death of Nirvana.
Holding tightly, the ignorant fear such freedom —
death overtakes everyone.
And yet, the Buddha
Shows a shining example.
Letting go, the seeker is free
to explore nothingness,
which is filled with potential
far greater than death:
the pure joy of peace of mind!
Where once these words first brought fear,
they shall bring joy on the retelling.
Contained within what was written is like
the essence of the Dharma,
but feel free to doubt this.
To anyone who fails to research anything
written here, and, in fleeing, hides
behind disbelief: walk on with lack of faith
but respect the Buddha as the mother of boundless joy.
20060305
Let Go Your Hold
The Buddha said:
"In every direction," said the Buddha, "above, below, around, and within, you see things you know and recognize. Put them down. Do not let consciousness dwell on the products of existence and things that come and go, for there is no rest of relief there. When you understand that by taking the objects of the world for granted as total reality, you are tied to the world, then this understanding will release you from your dependence on objects and will stop your craving and your desire for constant becoming. Then you can let go your hold and engage with things as they are, instead."
-Sutta Nipata
This quote is from the Dhammapada, and urges the follower to stop clinging to "things you know and recognize". For clinging is holding tight to "products of existence and things that come and go" i.e. to impermanent objects which have finite existence i.e. your computer, food, or a favorite song.
"...There is no rest of relief there." refers to the suffering which clinging to existence may cause.
Taking the world for granted as total reality ties us to the world. By letting go of clinging, I do not have to give away my possessions. In letting go of the objects of this world, I see that they are not the total reality of existence at all.
Thinking in this way, I am no longer tied to the world. I am released from my dependence on objects. My craving and desire for constant becoming has ceased.
Having let go my hold, I am free to engage with things as they are.
"In every direction," said the Buddha, "above, below, around, and within, you see things you know and recognize. Put them down. Do not let consciousness dwell on the products of existence and things that come and go, for there is no rest of relief there. When you understand that by taking the objects of the world for granted as total reality, you are tied to the world, then this understanding will release you from your dependence on objects and will stop your craving and your desire for constant becoming. Then you can let go your hold and engage with things as they are, instead."
-Sutta Nipata
This quote is from the Dhammapada, and urges the follower to stop clinging to "things you know and recognize". For clinging is holding tight to "products of existence and things that come and go" i.e. to impermanent objects which have finite existence i.e. your computer, food, or a favorite song.
"...There is no rest of relief there." refers to the suffering which clinging to existence may cause.
Taking the world for granted as total reality ties us to the world. By letting go of clinging, I do not have to give away my possessions. In letting go of the objects of this world, I see that they are not the total reality of existence at all.
Thinking in this way, I am no longer tied to the world. I am released from my dependence on objects. My craving and desire for constant becoming has ceased.
Having let go my hold, I am free to engage with things as they are.
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