As a new year dawns over the mountains of Lantau Island in Hong Kong where I am currently practicing, the earth also begins another revolution around the sun. It's an opportunity for us to begin anew, to re-affirm our commitment and effort practice our chosen spiritual path and live a life with love and compassion for others.
In our hectic lives, we often neglect the simple things that can bring a little bit more joy and happiness in our daily lives. I often find the need to remind myself to be attentive and remain in the present moment. One of my self-reminders I would like to share with you is this: be kind. Be kind to yourself and others.
We often have expectations of how we, or others, should be. Perhaps it is sometimes an idea of perfection in ourselves or others, or a fear of making mistakes. If you find yourself with this thinking, there is good news. Simply this - everyone makes mistakes, from the wisest Zen Masters and Rinpoches down to the garbage collector. It is just a condition of being human. So, Zen Master Seung Sahn said, "Mistake no problem, just make mistake correct." Sometimes, correcting your mistake can be as simple as saying, "I am sorry." I think that being able to accept our own and others' mistakes with grace allows us to be more caring and compassionate.
Try to be grateful when someone points out your mistakes (instead of getting angry or defensive) and use the opportunity to correct them. Forgive others (and yourself too) for mistakes made as it is in forgiveness that we discover our compassion and humanity.
There are some wonderful teachings that I would like to share with you from Zen Master Kyong Ho (1849~1912), Zen Master Seung Sahn's great-grand teacher. He was the most famous zen master of his time in Korea and practiced in the Gyeryong mountains, the same mountains where Mu Sang Sa is located.
Zen Master Kyong Ho
He was a famous sutra master but his fear of death during a cholera outbreak made him realize that he had not yet attained his own true nature and overcome life and death. You can read more of his story here.
1. Don't wish for perfect health. In perfect health there is greed and wanting. So an ancient said, "Make good medicine from the suffering of sickness."
2. Don't hope for a life without problems. An easy life results in a judgmental and lazy mind. So an ancient once said, "Accept the anxieties and difficulties of this life."
3. Don't expect your practice to be always clear of obstacles. Without hindrances the mind that seeks enlightenment may be burnt out. So an ancient once said, "Attain deliverance in disturbances."
4. Don't expect to practice hard and not experience the weird. Hard practice that evades the unknown makes for a weak commitment. So an ancient once said, "Help hard practice by befriending every demon."
5. Don't expect to finish doing something easily. If you happen to acquire something easily the will is made weaker. So an ancient once said, "Try again and again to complete what you are doing."
6. Make friends but don't expect any benefit for yourself. Friendship only for oneself harms trust. So an ancient once said, "Have an enduring friendship with purity in heart."'
7. Don't expect others to follow your direction. When it happens that others go along with you, it results in pride. So an ancient once said, "Use your will to bring peace between people."
8. Expect no reward for an act of charity. Expecting something in return leads to a scheming mind. So an ancient once said, "Throw false spirituality away like a pair of old shoes."
9. Don't seek profit over and above what your work is worth. Acquiring false profit makes a fool (of oneself). So an ancient once said, "Be rich in honesty."
10. Don't try to make clarity of mind with severe practice. Every mind comes to hate severity, and where is clarity in mortification? So an ancient once said, "Clear a passageway through severe practice."
11. Be equal to every hindrance. Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment without hindrance. Seekers after truth are schooled in adversity. When they are confronted by a hindrance, they can't be overcome. Then, cutting free, their treasure is great.
Wishing you a year filled with peace, love and compassion.
Myong An
In our hectic lives, we often neglect the simple things that can bring a little bit more joy and happiness in our daily lives. I often find the need to remind myself to be attentive and remain in the present moment. One of my self-reminders I would like to share with you is this: be kind. Be kind to yourself and others.
We often have expectations of how we, or others, should be. Perhaps it is sometimes an idea of perfection in ourselves or others, or a fear of making mistakes. If you find yourself with this thinking, there is good news. Simply this - everyone makes mistakes, from the wisest Zen Masters and Rinpoches down to the garbage collector. It is just a condition of being human. So, Zen Master Seung Sahn said, "Mistake no problem, just make mistake correct." Sometimes, correcting your mistake can be as simple as saying, "I am sorry." I think that being able to accept our own and others' mistakes with grace allows us to be more caring and compassionate.
Try to be grateful when someone points out your mistakes (instead of getting angry or defensive) and use the opportunity to correct them. Forgive others (and yourself too) for mistakes made as it is in forgiveness that we discover our compassion and humanity.
There are some wonderful teachings that I would like to share with you from Zen Master Kyong Ho (1849~1912), Zen Master Seung Sahn's great-grand teacher. He was the most famous zen master of his time in Korea and practiced in the Gyeryong mountains, the same mountains where Mu Sang Sa is located.
Zen Master Kyong Ho
He was a famous sutra master but his fear of death during a cholera outbreak made him realize that he had not yet attained his own true nature and overcome life and death. You can read more of his story here.
Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho (1849 -1912)
Great-grand teacher of Zen Master Seung Sahn
1. Don't wish for perfect health. In perfect health there is greed and wanting. So an ancient said, "Make good medicine from the suffering of sickness."
2. Don't hope for a life without problems. An easy life results in a judgmental and lazy mind. So an ancient once said, "Accept the anxieties and difficulties of this life."
3. Don't expect your practice to be always clear of obstacles. Without hindrances the mind that seeks enlightenment may be burnt out. So an ancient once said, "Attain deliverance in disturbances."
4. Don't expect to practice hard and not experience the weird. Hard practice that evades the unknown makes for a weak commitment. So an ancient once said, "Help hard practice by befriending every demon."
5. Don't expect to finish doing something easily. If you happen to acquire something easily the will is made weaker. So an ancient once said, "Try again and again to complete what you are doing."
6. Make friends but don't expect any benefit for yourself. Friendship only for oneself harms trust. So an ancient once said, "Have an enduring friendship with purity in heart."'
7. Don't expect others to follow your direction. When it happens that others go along with you, it results in pride. So an ancient once said, "Use your will to bring peace between people."
8. Expect no reward for an act of charity. Expecting something in return leads to a scheming mind. So an ancient once said, "Throw false spirituality away like a pair of old shoes."
9. Don't seek profit over and above what your work is worth. Acquiring false profit makes a fool (of oneself). So an ancient once said, "Be rich in honesty."
10. Don't try to make clarity of mind with severe practice. Every mind comes to hate severity, and where is clarity in mortification? So an ancient once said, "Clear a passageway through severe practice."
11. Be equal to every hindrance. Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment without hindrance. Seekers after truth are schooled in adversity. When they are confronted by a hindrance, they can't be overcome. Then, cutting free, their treasure is great.
Myong An
