soul
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“I don’t really care so much what people say about me because it usually is a reflection of who they are. For example, if people wish I would sound like I used to sound, then it says more about them than it does me.”
— Prince
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Learning to Be Silent
The pupils of the Tendai school used to study meditation before Zen entered Japan. Four of them who were intimate friends promised one another to observe seven days of silence.
On the first day all were silent. Their meditation had begun auspiciously, but when night came and the oil lamps were growing dim one of the pupils could not help exclaiming to a servant: “Fix those lamps.”
The second pupils was surprised to hear the first one talk. “We are not supposed to say a word,” he remarked.
“You two are stupid. Why did you talk?” asked the third.
“I am the only one who has not talked,” concluded the fourth pupil.
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The Most Valuable Thing in the World
Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student: “What is the most valuable thing in the world?”
The master replied: “The head of a dead cat.”
“Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing in the world?” inquired the student.
Sozan replied: “Because no one can name its price.”
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The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back” & “ABC” on The Ed Sullivan Show
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Maybe
Once upon a time, there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day, his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
The next morning, the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful!” the neighbors exclaimed.
“Maybe,” replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.
“Maybe,” answered the farmer.
The day after that, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army.
Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
“Maybe,” said the farmer.
Moral: This story reminds us that opinions and judgments are often hasty and incomplete. What seems good or bad in the moment may shift with time. A Zen attitude invites us to see things without clinging to rigid opinions.
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The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. “You may have come a long way to visit me,” he told the prowler, “and you shoud not return emptyhanded. Please take my clothes as a gift.”
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow, ” he mused, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”
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The Living Universe: Exploring Consciousness and Existence
The nature of the universe has fascinated philosophers, scientists, and thinkers for centuries. There are two main ways to look at it:
- The Universe as Natural: From this perspective, the universe is a vast, complex system that operates according to the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology. It’s a set of processes that, while awe-inspiring in their complexity, don’t necessarily have a purpose beyond what’s observable. In this view, life is a product of natural processes that arose through random events and evolutionary mechanisms, with the universe itself being a cold, indifferent place.
- The Universe as Life-like or Conscious: Some theories suggest that the universe might be more like a living organism, or even conscious in some way. This idea is rooted in concepts like panpsychism, which proposes that consciousness exists on some level in all things—perhaps even in the very fabric of the universe itself. There are also those who think the universe could be part of a larger, intelligent system, with life at its core, almost like a cosmic “mind” that evolves over time. This idea suggests that the universe isn’t just a collection of matter and energy, but a living, interconnected system with some form of purpose or consciousness.
If the universe is life-like, it might imply that life, consciousness, and energy are fundamental components of reality—not just accidents or byproducts of random events. It could mean that everything in the universe is interconnected in ways we can’t fully grasp, with life being a central, driving force of existence.
I lean toward the idea that the universe is both natural and interconnected in ways we may not fully understand yet. On one hand, the natural laws we observe—the physical forces, the constants of nature, the evolution of life—suggest that the universe operates with a certain order and predictability. But on the other hand, the complexity and beauty of life, consciousness, and the way everything seems to work in harmony, points to something more intricate.
I find it hard to believe that such vast complexity and interconnectedness could have emerged purely by chance. There’s a kind of elegance to the way everything fits together, as if there’s a deeper, almost living force behind it all—whether that’s consciousness, energy, or some other form of life. It’s almost like the universe is alive, but in a way that’s different from how we think about life on Earth. Perhaps life itself is just one expression of this larger, cosmic force.
If the universe were conscious or life-like, it would raise the question of how much influence or intention it has in shaping what happens within it. But that’s a question that’s tough to answer, and might remain elusive.
What do you think? Does the idea of the universe being alive or conscious resonate with you more than the idea of it being purely natural?
By ChatGPT
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The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. “You may have come a long way to visit me,” he told the prowler, “and you shoud not return emptyhanded. Please take my clothes as a gift.”
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow, ” he mused, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”
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Right and Wrong
When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. “You are wise brothers,” he told them. “You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave.”
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
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The True Path
Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him. “Shall I lead you on?” Ikkyu asked.
Ninakawa replied: “I came here alone and I go alone. What help could you be to me?”
Ikkyu answered: “If you think you really come and go, that is your delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and going.”
With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninakawa smiled and passed away.
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RIP Roberta Flack – Live (1980)
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A Cup of Tea
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”