15/1 Zen Seeds pp134-138.

Zen Seeds
pp 134 – 138

A Parent's Last Words:

Because the story has an end, it is a story.
Remembering that we are finite can help us live an authentic life.

*

The World of Mutual Sympathy:

In real self love, there is no ego. Paradoxically, there is no self.
Peace has been made … with emptiness.
From there we can go on to love others,
Because they are not others anymore.

*

But too many of us do not love ourselves.
This is the ultimate in egotism.
It is indulging in a self-consciousness
That puts a mistaken value on what others think of us.
Our original face smiles,
Unconcerned with the disapproving stares of adults,
As we run around the children's playground,
Laughing.

My preschooler directs me to help him pile dirt in the driveway from a series of holes he's dug in the garden. We're standing in the front yard together, scattering soil everywhere. It's quite a sight. One of my neighbors returns home to the cul-de-sac. I pause to wonder what I would say if she asks what we're doing... and realize I'm missing the point. In the meantime, I catch sight of his baby brother looking up at the clouds, beaming. For now, I am weightless.

Love it Shujin!

Thank you Myozan,
I feel grateful what all the people did for me, even though they are dead. Be it our lineage ancestors, be it my parents and grad-parents. Nobody on this world is free from karma, and so are our parents, this is the fundament of the love to my parents. I discovered that too late to show them, so only living my life at best is what I can do.

Loving ourselves is very important. I don't know much about others, some seem to be much in love with themselves, but do I ? I don't know, which might sound strange. I feel that gratitude and love for others at times, but about myself ? I would agree that I like myself (usually ;-)), but maybe thats a part of myself I need to look deeper into.

_()_
Myoku

Thank you Myozan. The second verse reminds us not to follow what the Chinese refer to as the 'small man' and the first to keep with our 'magnanimous mind'. Beautifully put.

[quote]But too many of us do not love ourselves.
This is the ultimate in egotism.
It is indulging in a self-consciousness
That puts a mistaken value on what others think of us.
Our original face smiles,
Unconcerned with the disapproving stares of adults,
As we run around the children's playground,
Laughing/quote]

Felt like I was just smacked with a hammer. For that I am grateful. Thanks Myozan. I'm off to the playground

Gassho to you Daido. Glad you got something out of my ramblings. :D