On having, taking, giving, cling and lose
A very nice story – could be real – which made me think…
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. “You may have come a long way to visit me, ” he told the prowler, “and you should not return empty-handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.”
The thief was bewildered. He tool the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow,” he mused, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”
Wondering…
– What is best in life can never be taken or given. Indeed it can not be possessed to begin with. It can only be appreciated. As Osho said, if you like a flower, don’t pluck it !
– You can loose only what you cling to.
This applies to every aspect – relationships, feelings, friends, possessions. Clinging raises expectations. And a feeling of hurt and grief when those expectations are not met. No clinging, no expectations – only serenity !
– But can there indeed ever be a ” desire less state ” – when the desire not to have a desire is also a desire ? To me, the issue is not one of eliminating desires but having the correct ones- those which lead to true freedom and happiness.