Tuesday, April 21, 2015

This too

The two most important words in Zen are "This too." If we can accept everything that comes to us, everything that life presents us with, then we are walking the Way of the Buddhas.

The Buddhadharma excludes nothing. It encompasses the stars, the moon, the rivers, and most importantly, our lives. Anger is not left out; neither are pain or jealousy. Zen practice is about transforming our lives into a container large enough to include all that arises.

When you get a raise at work, say, "This too." If you feel guilty about the raise, "This too."

Got fired? "This too."

If we can only learn to live with the spirit of these two simple words, then we will recognize that we are already walking the same path as the great ancestors. "This too" serves as a gentle reminder to open ourselves to life as it is, not how we want it to be.  

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