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Carl said;
" Morris, when you truly
need a teacher, one will appear."
As I have a wonderful range of Zen sayings aand those of other cultures, this is my reply. A litle help goes a long
way - an initiation to a new experience and new world. (my own
saying)
Zen Koans riddles and
parables deal with the unintelligble and unanswerble.
All cultures and
traditions have similar sayings.
From yoga and ancient
orientalism the saying is:
"When the pupil is ready, the master will appear". They also say, the true master is within us, and if it still in the process of growth, it will not be able to interpret entirely what life and the wise have to teach us. Truth and enlightenment
comes in small segments to whom is attuned. This is the true curve of learning.
But from my tradition,
there is a chutzpah talmud saying: "The master must be ready and willing for the
pupil to learn. "
I was brought up to refer
to an ignorant person as a greenhorn, and a stingy or miserly person as a
peruvian. This shows how colorful the sayings, the proverbs and idioms from the
world's sayings can be.
From the little book, Zen
Buddhism by the Peter Pauper Press, there is this delightful story in an
indirect way refers to learning.
Joshu was a master who
started to study Zen when he was sixty. When he was eighty he found
enlightenment. They say he taught for forty years thereafter.
Once a student asked old Jshua: "You teach that we must empty our minds. I have nothing in my mind. Now what shall I do. " "Throw it out," said Joshu. 'But I have nothing. How can I throw it out." "If you can't throw it
out. Drive it out! Empty it out! BUT DON'T STAND THERE IN FRONT OF ME WITH
NOTHING IN YOUR MIND."
Another tale from the same book. Two monks, Tanzan and
Ekido, were walking down a muddy street in the city they came on a lovely young
girl dressed in fine silks, who was afraid to cross because of all the
mud.
"Come on girl," said Tanzan. And he picked her up in his arms, and carried her across. The two monks did not speak again till nightfall. Then when they had returned to the monastery, Ekido couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Monks shouldn't go near girls," he said - "Certainly not beautiful ones like that one. Why did you do it." My dear fellow, said Tanzan. I put that girl down, way back in the city. It's is you who are still carrying her. another tale
Joshu asked the teacher
Nansen, "What is the true way."
Nansen answered, "Everyday way is the true Way." Joshua sked, "Can I study
it."
Nansen answered, "the more
you study, the further from the way."
Joshu asked, "If I don't
study it, how can I know it."
Nansen answered, "The Way
does not belong to things seen: nor to things known: nor to things unknown. Do
not seek it, study it, or name it. To find yourself on it, open yourself wide as
the sky.
In concluding, Carl
is an inspiration to all of us and personally helped me in a number of specific
projects, for which I thank him. His Zen saying has deep implications - one of
which is only when one has made every effort to solve the problem on his own,
does he deserve help.
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