There are names,

such as Buddha, God, or Heavenly Way;

but they all point to the mind which is nothingness.

Live always with the mind of total nothingness,

and the evils that come to you will

dissipate completely.

Munan 

The more you talk and think about it,

The further astray you wander from the truth.

Stop talking and thinking,

And there is nothing you will not be able to know.

To return to the root is to find the meaning,

But to pursue appearances is to miss the source.

At the moment of inner enlightenment

There is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.

Sengcan

Brave-spirited wearers

of the patched robe possess an outstanding,

extraordinary aspect. With great determination they give up

conventional society. They look upon worldly status

and evanescent fame as dust in the wind,

as clouds floating by, as echoes

in a valley.

Yuanwu

The clouds

above us join and separate, the

breeze in the courtyard leaves and returns.

Life is like that, so why not relax?

Who can stop us from

celebrating?

Lu Yu

joel rea

Beyond

meditation practice,

there is attitude. A beginner

must learn to cultivate what is called,

“the poise of a dying man”. What is this poise?

It is the poise of knowing what is important and what

is not, and of being accepting and forgiving. Anyone who has

ever been at the bedside of a dying man will understand

this poise. What would the dying man do if someone

were to insult him? Nothing. What would

the dying man do if someone

were to strike him?

Nothing.

As

he lay there,

would he scheme to

become famous or wealthy?

No. If someone who had once offended

him were to ask him for his forgiveness would he

 not give it? Of course he would. A dying man knows

the pointlessness of enmity. Hatred is always

such a wretched feeling. Who wishes to

die feeling hatred in his heart?

No one. The dying

seek love and

peace.

Hsu-Yun