What is the beginning of wisdom?
Simply this. To say
I do not know.
Nothing more. This hard thing.
A sentence to utter often.
Practice articulating these words.
In solitude at first if need be, for familiarization.
One brief declaration, then stop.
Listen to what follows.
Open mind. Open heart.
I am come late to build my dwelling.
It proceeds slowly, hampered by age and infirmity.
Lest I get discouraged by this,
I keep in mind that my life antecedent
Has all been preparation.
I now have more skillful means to construct a proper residence
With patience, foresight, and expertise.
The foundation has been laid through prior experience;
The design has been shaped by acquired knowledge;
The materials have been gathered with painstaking care.
I know that I might not live to see the completion,
But that is not the point.
If need be, those who follow can finish;
Whatever I manage to construct will be beautiful and sturdy.
Thank you for teaching me patience amidst urgency.
Yes, my time here in this body is precious and brief,
And I wish to do as much good as possible for both myself and others.
But I can relax into this path
By realizing that my limitations are many and varied.
I am a traveler like everyone,
And my supplies and journey are affected by myriad different things.
The way can seem daunting, with unexpected detours and deterrents.
My progress speeds and slows and sometimes halts for awhile,
For I am not commencing alone in a void.
I continue step by step with a steady mind and open heart,
With the knowledge that eventually I will reach my destination.
While I travel, I experience pleasures and griefs on the way,
With appreciation that they are temporary and ever-changing.
Remember always that scenery is only scenery
And continue to walk.
I walked on the trail and saw
Amongst the usual plants and trees
A small sapling that appeared different.
This thing is not like the other things,
Thought I. But then I said
Stop and look again and see.
I did. Here is what I found:
Like the other growing things,
The little seedling grew from the earth;
The branches reached to the sky;
The wood was brown and the leaves green;
The sun and rain and soil nourished it.
This thing is utterly like the other things.
So with all, if only we look closely
With openness.
I stand at threshold of the path.
The gateway stands before me.
I look once, twice, and yet again.
At first glance, I see a plain simple structure.
Then it appears rich, bejeweled, and ornate.
On third look, it transforms back to an ordinary entrance.
Will I pass through to start the journey?
Yes, and yes, and yes.
All I have to do choose to begin.
One step, one breath, one life at a time.
Let us consider our actions with care,
Be they verbal, behavioral, or otherwise.
Any of these done has force in the world,
With consequences unforeseen and unknown.
Each gives rise to a certain tendency of repetition,
Increasing in weight into often unconscious habit.
Patterns can trap us in complex webs
Which take a lifetime or more to unravel.
Much simpler to choose with intent.
Not easier, as we are connected with all around us.
Start now, wherever we are.
We often wonder why in terms of personal experience.
A futile question to ask, for the many causes cannot be determined.
We have never been a blank slate, to arrive at this moment sui generis.
We come with so many stories behind us that push us where we are today.
We are the authors of them all and continue to narrate our ongoing tales.
These, interwoven with the chronicles of others, shape the current scene.
All we can do is attempt to ensure our ongoing accounts are the best we can tell.
Let us choose words more carefully that spread kindness and compassion.
I open the closet to shine a flashlight on the interior.
What do I see? It depends upon where I focus the light.
I can see the clothes and other items,
To be grateful for what I have.
I can find dirt and dust,
To be motivated to clean.
I can see disorganization and poor design,
To be inspired to reorder.
I can find empty holes and disliked objects,
To feel suffering and lack.
Whatever I discover, whatever I feel, whatever I do…
All depends upon where I focus the beam and how I choose to respond.
The closet itself is simply a space with things.
steam rises from the tea. consider these things
how did this cup come to be?
a skilled artisan learned from skilled potters who learned from their teachers and so on
a ceramic with multiple sources, and also the celadon glaze
a kiln in which it was fired; wood that provided heat
a building itself that housed this all
thus it is with the tea
tea farmers, masters all, helped by family and community and so on
(Only a village produces fine tea.)
trees dependent upon rain, earth, and light
countless different elements interconnected
change one, and the whole transforms
each lift of the cup and sip of the tea,
the entire world is joined