Eating Leftovers

Master Dogen writes: The ordinary states, the outer ordinary states --- bamboo in the mountains, cypresses in the yard. Partial sage,ultimate sage --- spring flowers, autumn moon. When you have attained the realm of Zen, there is no Zen; when you clarfy the realm of desire, there is no desire. There is no one in the whole world who understands Buddhism --- everyone is eating leftovers. To say it is like something would miss it --- it is not in the company of myriad things. What stages are there? What do you want with the beyond?

Eihei Koroku (translated by Cleary)

Our practice of the Buddha Way is our practice of the Buddha way. Yours is not mine. Each of us must enter the gate ourself. My words to you are like shit. They mean little to nothing, mere tracks of one who has gone before. When we experience the wind in our face, the shock of a sound, or the smell of a corpse or flower, we are experiencing ourselves. As I paint a picture, it is just a painting of a picture. Quite different from your actual experience.

I urge you to practice the Buddha Way for yourself. What does this mean? Nothing really. Just stop and sit still. Create an opprtunity for you to experience the universe as it is, rather than as you think it is.

Be well.
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