There is a Buddhist story about an previous Zen farmer who lives very modestly. He’s depending on the assistance of his one son in addition to the labor of their horse. At some point, a fence brakes and the horse runs off. The farmer’s neighbors come by exclaiming, “Your horse ran away, what horrible luck!”
The farmer replies, “Perhaps so, perhaps not. We’ll see.”
Every week later, the horse comes again to the farm, accompanied by 5 different wild horses. The neighbors have been amazed, shouting in celebration, “Now you can produce extra crops! That is such success!”
Once more, the farmer replies, “Perhaps so, perhaps not. We’ll see.”
A few month later, the farmer’s son is taming one of many wild horses. The horse throws him off and the son breaks his leg. The neighbors expressed dismay. “How are you going to maintain up the farm now? That is such unhealthy information!”
As soon as once more, the farmer replies nonchalantly, “Perhaps so, perhaps not. We’ll see.”
After three weeks, the farmer’s son remains to be recovering from his accidents, and is unable to assist on the farm. Round this time, a military regiment comes by way of the village to recruit males. After they see that the farmer’s son is injured, they go away him and transfer on to the subsequent home. “That is superb!” the neighbors inform the farmer. “You’ve got such success!”
The Zen farmer offers his similar reply: “Perhaps so, perhaps not. We’ll see.”
This story factors out the thoughts’s tendency to be pulled from the current second by getting caught up in judgement. The thoughts labels occasions as “good” if it is one thing that it likes, or as “unhealthy” if it is one thing it does not like. However the thoughts’s limitations won’t ever enable it to see the last word image: the harmonious circulation behind all issues that some may name God’s will or different could merely name Tao, or “The Means.”
The Tao Te Ching tells us, “Dangerous fortune is what success leans on, / Success is what unhealthy fortune hides in. / Who is aware of the last word finish of this course of?” Once we study to be utterly current with the method, we transcend the thoughts’s labels and expertise the dwelling, joyful presence of concord — the peace that passes understanding.
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Carrying your religious physique in your head
Are you able to embrace the One and never let go?
Concentrating the breath
Are you able to turn out to be supple as a toddler?
Are you able to polish the mysterious mirror
And go away no mark?
Can you like the individuals and rule the state
With out indulging in motion?
When the gates of heaven open and shut,
Can you retain to the feminine function?
When your thoughts penetrates the 4 instructions
Can you know nothing?
It offers them life and nurtures.
It offers them life with out possession.
It advantages them however asks no thanks.
It holds however imposes no authority.
Such is the mysterious advantage.
