Sunday, May 13, 2012

Not Zen 5: What Is Expected

"Take nothing for granted," said the leader. "My feet seem to carry me and yet I do not expect to come to the end of this farmer's field. If you can live without the barest of expectations, every step becomes a delight of newness and every sight a formless wonder to the eye. This is the ever-present awe that must be achieved."

Behind the spiritual leader trailed four followers and the farmer who had fed and housed them the night before.

"To me, the sounds in the air are unexpected," said one of the students. "I am in wonder that they take form in my ears."

"Very fine," the master encouraged. "That is a good start."

"I have no expectations for the bags we carry," said another. "My memory is that the farmer filled them with food. But what is memory, I wonder? Perhaps we shall open the bags and find twenty cats."

"Yes, fair enough. Memory is an illusion." The master nodded as he walked.

"I wonder if there is another side to the front of that tree," ventured a third student. He pointed to a willow near the end of the farmer's field.

"Even better!" the master exclaimed.

"I wonder if there is a brain in any of your heads," grumbled the farmer.

"Exactly!" shouted the master.

No comments:

Post a Comment