Keeping Our Center And Direction

Sometimes we think we’ve settled something: “I won’t be acting that way anymore” or “I’m not going to feel like that again.” But than we can experience something that brings it right back. That’s why we have the vow to see delusions as endless, and so we vow to cut through them all. And hence the following Zen story.

A monk decided to go for a long solo retreat to rid himself of anger. He would practice diligently all alone until there was no more anger. One day, on his way up to his mountain retreat, he passed a farmer who asked him what he was up to. He told him his mission and the farmer said that he looked forward to seeing him after the retreat to learn how he’d got on. The monk completed his retreat and was pleased to notice he no longer experienced any anger at all. His retreat had worked! On his way home he passed the same farmer who asked how he’d got on. The monk replied, “Oh it was great. No more anger.”

“Really?” asked the farmer.
“Yes, absolutely.”
“Gosh, amazing, but are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” said the monk, starting to get a little peeved.
“Really? No more anger?”
“Yes, no more anger!”
“So, you really don’t get angry any more?”
The monk grabbed the farmer and screamed, “THAT’S RIGHT, NO MORE ANGER!”

What does it mean to be a complete human being? Can we keep our center and direction, staying resolute and not completely overwhelmed when challenged? “How may I help you” sometimes means just remaining, with the strength of practice keeping us in place as witnesses, not turned away, even while afraid or angry or sad or depressed.

From One Zen Practitioner’s Response to the Climate Emergency
By Elizabeth Coombs JDPSN