Tick Zen

[Saijun]

Hello friends,

Last night I (or rather, my dog) was visited by a tick, which I can only assume was a great Bodhisattva:

When my wife found the tick, we tried to remove it by all means; tugging, twisting, tweezing, heat. It would not budge. Every time we tried to remove it, we could see its little legs holding on for dear life. In the end, I was able to pull it off with great effort--sadly, though, I accidentally crushed it during the process.

Before the little creature died, I learned something: we should be like that tick. When we find the Dharma, the thing that satisfies all our hunger, we should plunge in fully, commit fully, strive with all of our might. Even when things out of our control to pull us and squeeze us and burn us, we hold on to the practice. The Dharma can sustain us until the very end.

This Ango has been more difficult than I had imagined. I'm here going to publicly recommit to all of you that I will redouble my efforts, hold strongly to my commitments, let the Dharma guide me through it.

Thank you, friends, for all of your inspiration.
Thank you, Bodhisattva Tick, for your heroic example.
May you all be well and happy.

Much Metta,

Perry

[Jundo]

I learned something: we should be like that tick. When we find the Dharma, the thing that satisfies all our hunger, we should plunge in fully, commit fully, strive with all of our might. Even when things out of our control to pull us and squeeze us and burn us, we hold on to the practice. The Dharma can sustain us until the very end.

Also, remember that the little tick is just doing what little ticks do naturally. Probably, it is not a stress or strain for the fellow to hang on all day.

This is another opportunity to mention the "Lute strings" ...

[The Buddha said], "Sona, you were a musician and you used to play the lute. Tell me, Sona, did you produce good music when the lute string was well tuned, neither too tight nor too loose?"

"I was able to produce good music, Lord," replied Sona.

"What happened when the strings were too tightly wound up?"

"I could not produce any music, Lord," said Sona.

"What happened when the strings were too slack?"

"I could not produce any music at all, Lord," replied Sona

"Sona ... You have been straining too hard in your meditation. Do it in a relaxed way, but without being slack. Try it again and you will experience the good result."

Gassho, J