Zen story: The Zen master who drowned at sea
By emptychair
@innertalks (23744)
Australia
September 29, 2021 9:52pm CST
The Zen master, Rokyu Ricyu, liked to go fishing, at times.
He would always catch at least one fish, and bring it home to the Monastery cook to cook up for supper.
Then one day, he was late coming home from his fishing.
A big storm was brewing, and the old master was out in his little dinghy, all alone.
His dinghy had sprung a leak, and the master found himself within the water.
It was cold, but he told himself, not as cold as a dead Zen master would be.
The Zen master started swimming, as best as he could remember how to swim from his boyhood days, as he had never swum since, and so he felt a bit rusty about it, but then he came to a large rock, sticking out from the waters, so he rested, hanging onto that for a while.
Then, a big wave came over the rock, and swamped him, so he lost his grip, and he drowned.
As he was drowning, he thought to himself,
"We should always practice more the essential skills that we have."
"I am a cropper here, for my not doing just that."
"I thought only of Zen, but Zen did not improve my swimming ability for me, in the least."
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
The old Zen master died, and lost his fish, along with his life.
6 people like this
3 responses
@innertalks (23744)
• Australia
1 Oct 21
Yes, we should not overlook the essential basics in life to keep polishing our china too much too.
We should prioritise what we need to do, and not spend too much time, just zenning around, sunning ourselves in the sun.
God wants us to try to build our own miracles first, and then he might add the icing to them.
@misunderstood_zombie (8765)
• United States
30 Sep 21
We take too much for granted and should practice our skills, but prayer is the best practice.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23744)
• Australia
1 Oct 21
Yes, I agree. We should try to keep our skills going even as we get old, as much as we can do so. Prayer certainly works too, but when our time is up, it is up, I guess too, as even the Christian Bible tells us.
That interesting verse is found in Saint Luke's gospel, chapter 12, verse 20.
"But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’"
So, at some time in our future, though we know not when, our life will be ended by God, as then God will demand it back. This is why we should always be prepared and ready to die too, at any time, in our lives.
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
30 Sep 21
the balance of physical and mental is so critical. we find ourselves trapped in one or the other only.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23744)
• Australia
1 Oct 21
Yes, I agree. That's why I was inferring that even too much Zen, can unbalance, or cause problems, for us, in our lives too.
