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Xmac
4-11-13, 1:32am
A Zen priest was jailed several times after getting caught stealing small items from his neighbors. "Please," a friend begged him, "stop stealing. I will provide you with what you need."
"It's not that," the priest replied. I steal so I can get back to the prisoners, and bring them the message about the Way."


I love this. It challenges the assumptions that one can easily fall into about right and wrong, enlightenment and delusion, and good and bad; not to mention the motives of others.

The Buddha, in his incarnation before Siddhartha, was supposed to have murdered someone out of compassion. The someone was planning to kill many other crew members on a ship at sea. The person who would become the Buddha in his next life wanted to save the would be murderer from the Karma that would come from killing so many.

What's even more instructive for me though, is questioning the smaller, more pernicious assumptions like, "he complaining", "she is negative" or "they're so stupid".

catherine
4-11-13, 3:05am
Thanks, Xmac. Just so happened I needed this right now. It led me to a good session of Byron Katie self-inquiry, which was really helpful.

Zoe Girl
4-11-13, 8:53am
I have that calendar, loved the quote yesterday

Xmac
4-11-13, 12:08pm
Zen-Zoe?:laff::laff::laff:

Tussiemussies
4-11-13, 3:30pm
Thanks XMAC, they also teach this in my spiritual study. Mainly we filter external happenings or things through pre-conceived and fixed ideas and don't see the truth at all. Also a lot of people will project themselves onto others...great to be aware of....