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How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened
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Author:  peregrinus [ Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:42 pm ]
Post subject:  How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened

Quote:
During the Kamakura period, Shinkan studied Tendai six years and then studied Zen seven years; then he went to China and contemplated Zen for thirteen years more.

When he returned to Japan many desired to interview him and asked obscure questions. But when Shinkan received visitors, which was infrequently, he seldom answered their questions.

One day a fifty-year-old student of enlightenment said to Shinkan: “I have studied the Tendai school of thought since I was a little boy, but one thing in it I cannot understand. Tendai claims that even the grass and trees will become enlightened. To me this seems very strange.”

“Of what use is it to discuss how grass and trees become enlightened?” asked Shinkan. “The question is how you yourself can become so. Did you ever consider that?”

“I never thought of it in that way,” marveled the old man.

“Then go home and think it over,” finished Shinkan.

Author:  The GK2 [ Sat Feb 03, 2018 1:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened

So true. It's human nature to want to figure out everything before we even start, when what we really need to is to experience it for ourselves.

Author:  Resonance [ Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened

The GK2 wrote: *
So true. It's human nature to want to figure out everything before we even start, when what we really need to is to experience it for ourselves.
This...

It is only through experience can we truly understand anything. This for sure was me and mostly still is, I am working on just stepping out there and make mistakes but I still have this thing about preparation I have yet to let go which I believe is the cause of keeping me back.

But as they say there is no spoon

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