Zen Story: A Zen master's talk, on the Law of Cause and Effect.
By emptychair
@innertalks (23746)
Australia
July 19, 2021 9:59pm CST
The renowned Zen master, Cherzin Respockle, was giving a talk on the law of cause and effect.
He stated that cause and effect are related together by the karma of action, versus nonaction.
When cause is really cause, effects come from the karma of that cause in action, but when effects come onto you, seemingly without cause, know that there was an initial cause for this too.
We are never exempted entirely from life, even when enlightened, so do not ignore the laws of life, but live by them.
Enlightenment does not put us outside of life, and what is happening in life. It just allows us to see what is happening behind the happening.
Our thoughts connect us to karma, and to the law of cause and effect, otherwise, things just happen, without any descriptiveness needed.
If we recognise thoughts as real, karma results, but if we ignore thoughts altogether, we can never do that entirely either.
So, when we accept cause and effect as real, it doesn't affect us then anymore, as we no longer reactively react to what happens. We do not hide from this law, but we do not react by trying to suppress reactions either.
Cause and effect come into play whenever love is not being lived from, and anything less than love creates a cause, and an effect, but love just loves.
Love has no cause to love, and it wants to create no effects from its loving.
Love just loves.
"Any questions?", he asked.
and as there were no questions, he sat down again, and he went on with his begging.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
The master spent one hour begging every day.
He said that it reminded him of how we should ask questions, but not beg for answers.
He begged without reacting to any effects of his begging.
2 people like this
2 responses
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
20 Jul 21
for every action and equal reaction. The energy created is the energy consumed. A mixing of zen and science effectively and well done!
for the universe has rules.
But I would go with the Star Trek response, "For the world is hollow and I have touched the sky."
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
22 Jul 21
@innertalks of course it does right? William Butler Yeats wrote to fly so high to touch the face of God. But, his light burned birght, but then burned out.
we are hollow and full at the same time.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23746)
• Australia
22 Jul 21
@DocAndersen Well, there are a couple of billionaires around at the moment who tried to fly high, to get high.
They are full, and then more full, at the same time.
Their money will not allow them to embrace their hollowness.
We need to empty out our fullness, to get closer to our hollowness, and fill our hollowness, to get closer to our right fullness too.
If we just try to fill the full more with more fullness, we are like the American professor, whose cup was overpoured by tea, by the Zen master.
A Cup of Tea
"Once, a long time ago, there was a wise Zen master. People from far and near would seek his counsel and ask for his wisdom. Many would come and ask him to teach them, enlighten them in the way of Zen. He seldom turned any away."
One day an important man, an American Professor, no-less, a man used to command, and obedience, and reverential treatment, from his students, came to visit the master.
“I have come today to ask you to teach me about Zen. Open my mind to enlightenment.”
The tone of the important man’s voice was one used to getting his own way.
The Zen master smiled and said that they should discuss the matter over a cup of tea.
When the tea was served the master poured his visitor a cup. He poured and he poured and the tea rose to the rim and began to spill over the table and finally onto the robes of the wealthy man.
Finally, the visitor shouted out, in exasperation,
“Enough. You are spilling the tea all over. Can’t you see the cup is full?”
The master stopped pouring, and smiled at his guest.
“You are like this teacup, so full that nothing more can be added. Come back to me when your cup is empty. Come back to me with an empty mind, and an open heart.”
https://theteacupoflife.com/2015/06/the-tale-of-overflowing-teacup.html
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
23 Jul 21
@innertalks i do not believe wealth is a limiter to happiness or to finding one's path. Wealth and power, given, found and used properly, are great tools.
The question is never the circumstance, the question is always the character of the person!
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (28406)
• Singapore
21 Jul 21
The law of cause and effect, karma, is relevant at an individual level and species as a whole too We continue to reap what we sow and as a species others down the line will reap the consequences of our action or inaction.
We are dealt some cards to start with and there should be a deeper meaning to it - could be the effect of cause and effect not intelligible to us now but that does not prevent us from making the best use of the cards .Our inner talents could be best linked to the cards we are given in terms of where we are born, to whom etc.
Begging also would have helped him unearth gems of human behavior
When we live with love then the terrain becomes heavenly and then it is good karma with others to follow too following the higher path after becoming beneficiaries of such an enlightened path. We should set an example that is sorely needed now.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23746)
• Australia
21 Jul 21
Yes, even the country that we are born in, and the parents that we are born too, are a part of our incoming karma too, as well, as showing us too, that we belong to the karma of this country, for now, in this way, as well.
Yes, our opening hand of cards, has to be played from a heart of love, rather than a mind of greed, for us to come up with a trump hand, every time.
We are given the opportunity to play in God's game of poker, and it is all perfectly set up, even as we remember that God does not play dice with the world, nor does he ever act as a card shark, either.
@innertalks (23746)
• Australia
22 Jul 21
@Shiva49 Agents of change, and agents of love too, and so our changes should be driven by love, not by greed, and neglect of our God-given duties.
@Shiva49 (28406)
• Singapore
22 Jul 21
@innertalks We are all agents of change and we have a lot of work to do, no time to lose!
We are faced with inequities and injustices, and it is time for reinvention and to reorient our priorities that have gone awry due to misplaced agendas.
Let us not kick the can down the road and, worse, add to the misery by wilful negligence.
1 person likes this
