A poignant story from the Zen tradition.

"There was an old monk in China who practiced very hard meditation for many years.

He had a good mind, became very quiet, had good meditation, but was not able to relinquish "us," or "I" and "others." 1/n
He never got to that source of complete stillness or peace out of which genuine change can happen

He went to the Zen master and said, 2/n
"May I please have permission to go off and practice in the mountains? I've worked for years as a monk and there's nothing else I want but to understand this: the true nature of myself, of this world." 3/n
The master, knowing that he was ready, gave him permission to leave.

The monk left the monastery, took his bowl, few possessions and walked through the various towns to the mountains.

He left the last village behind and was going up a little trail into the mountains. 4/n
Walking up the mountains, an old man appeared before him, carrying a great big bundle on his back.

This old man was actually Bodhisattva Manjusri, who is said to appear to people at the moment they are ready for enlightenment 5/n
and is normally depicted carrying the sword of discriminating wisdom that cuts through all attachment, illusion and separateness

The monk looked at the old man, and the old man said,

"Say friend, young monk, where are you going?" 6/n
Monk told his story. "I've practiced for all these years and all I want now is to touch the core, to know that which is true."

The old man looked at him and his look was kind and wise.

Monk continued, "Tell me, old man, do you know anything of this enlightenment?" 7/n
The old man simply let go of the bundle; it dropped to the ground

The monk was got his enlightenment in a flash.

That's all. Just put it down.

Drop everything:

I, my, what I want to be, what I'm going to get, what will happen. 8/n
The enlightened monk looked at the old man again, and asked,

"So now what?"

The old man reached down and picked up the bundle again and walked off to town. 9/n
Here lies the complete teaching in this story.

It's to put everything down - all I, all me, all "us."

To put it down means also to acknowledge it from where it starts: to see sorrow, suffering, pain, to see that we're all in it together, to see birth and death. 10/n
If you're afraid of death and suffering and you don't want to look, then you can't put it down.

You will push it away here and you will grab it there.

Look at the world directly - adopt any way that you want to do it, but do it.

Then you can put it down. 11/n
Once you put it down, then with understanding and compassion you can pick it up again."

Once in a while, put everything down, leave behind all baggage and pick up the pieces afresh.

May you all see the light of wisdom n/n
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