A zen story

Anthony wrote to me:

There is this Zen story about So Dong Po. The Zen master wrote about him,

'So he claims not to be moved by the eight winds,
But a single fart blows him across the river.'

Times of disappointment are good opportunities to observe yourself, to learn about yourself and make yourself stronger and wiser. So what is it that we are attached to?

There is a supplication prayer that says:

Non-attachment is the foot of meditation as is taught,
To this meditator who is not attached to food and wealth,.....
Grant your blessing that I have no attachment to honour and gain.

Devotion is the head of meditation as is taught,
To the meditator who always supplicates you,
Grant your blessing that genuine devotion is born within.

Non-distraction is the body of meditation as is taught,
Whatever arises is fresh, the nature of realization,
To the meditator who rests simply in naturalness,
Grant your blessing that meditation is free from conception.

Being unattached to the highs and lows of human follies is a pre-requisite for practicing the dharma. So you should be happy you had a chance to make a contribution and when the opportunity arises again you will be ready.

The story of So Dong Po did not end there. In a spark of insight, he said to the Zen master, ' I had enough of your fake dharma, So Don't Bo-ther me.'

After all, the world still turns and the toilet still flushes in a counter-clockwise direction (an insider joke among Beverly, Anthony and me).