How long

can a human life last?

A hundred years, thirty thousand days.

Half is spent in sleep, and the rest is hardly assured.

The regalia of social ceremony are prison articles, all.

Greedy men liking them clearly have no way out.

Rich socialites suffer constant stress, the poor

and humble are always free. That is why

ancient sages were not constrained

by emperors and kings.

 

Wen-siang

 

The wind blows hard among the pines

toward the beginning

of an endless past. 

Listen: you’ve heard everything.

 

Shinkichi Takahashi

 

h. kopp-delaney

 

In the changing of

 the constellations, we study the

criterion of the universe; in the alteration

of clouds and rain, we see clearly the

harmony of nature.

 

Tao is a mysterious

presence; it eludes the sharpest

tracker. Acquiring knowledge of the Way

we must return to simple beginnings that come

naturally, like the rules of music. As the mists

lift and the stars usher forth the moon,

we see the true path all

around us.

 

Loy Ching-Yuen

PichiAvo

 

With all

this talking, what has

been said? The subtle truth can

be pointed at with words, but

it can’t be contained

by them. 

 

Take time

to listen to what is said

without words, to obey the law

too subtle to be written, to worship the

unnameable and to embrace the unformed.

Love your life. Trust the Tao. Make love

with the invisible subtle origin of the

universe, and you will give

yourself everything

you need. 

 

You won’t

have to hide away

forever in spiritual retreats.

You can be a gentle, contemplative hermit

right here in the middle of everything, utterly

unaffected, thoroughly sustained and

rewarded by your integral

practices. 

 

Encouraging others,

giving freely to all, awakening and

purifying the world with each movement

and action, you’ll ascend to the

divine realm in broad

daylight. 

 

The breath of

the Tao speaks, and

those who are in harmony

with it hear quite

clearly.

 

from Hua hu Ching, Chapter 81

 

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