From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
“The old man lost his horse” is a Chinese proverb. In the Zen adage of the subject above, I swapped it with the butterfly effect which is more widely known in the English speaking world. The wisdom also has some in common with Prayers for Serenity, Peace and Strength as both refer to the importance of accepting of what cannot be changed and living happily anyway.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
My take on this maxim is the difference between the holistic wisdom and the analytic knowledge. When you personify enlightenment, or one with the ultimate truth, who asks a question about it? Asking a question is representing that you are in the third person viewpoint and not one with the ultimate truth.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
Majority is not always right. Sometimes you are alone in the place you think is right. However, if you are not solely wrong the light of truth always shines on you. You should be able to see it.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
Of course, in Zen words, the city originally referred was not Rome, but Chang’an the capital of Tang Dynasty.
The enlightenment or the ultimate truth of the universe is actually ubiquitous and common and everyone or everything in this universe is following it without any exceptions.
Thus if you are to reach it, you do not have to choose a particular road.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
By climbing up a ladder, you can get a better view. However, falling off from a ladder is a major cause of severe home injury which could be fatal. This also applies to an abstract view point. Your sense of excellence could easily become a disastrous pitfall.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
Multitasking is a myth. It is scientifically proven. However, we try to do multitasking. It is the unattainable desire leads to suffering. If you want to accomplish meaningful outcome, you need wholehearted dedication to a single task at a time.
From this month’s Zen words in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.
In original phrase it was about an ideal dynasty, however, I thought in modern context we can interpret it as about an ideal management.
At the pinnacle of management skills, a manager would be able to utilise whatever resources at hand, each and every subordinate, material or opportunity and left nothing wasted.
Thus if there are any resources not utilised well it is all attributed to the manager’s virtue.