Progress


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There was a student and his master. The student studied very hard in order to please his teacher. After one month, the student told the master, "I feel an expansion of consciousness and experience oneness with the universe." The master looked at him with a blank expression.

The second month, the student said "I have discovered that the Divine is present in all things." The master seemed disappointed.

The third month, the student proudly proclaimed "No one is born, no one dies, for the self is not." The master threw up his hands in despair.

The master did not see the student again for a year. Finally, he came one day and the master inquired as to his progress. "I am just trying to live my life. As for progress, I couldn't care less!

The master replied "Thank heavens, you've got it at last!"

This story demonstrates the Zen teaching of everything being perfect as it is. Things come and go, all in due time.

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This story demonstrates the Zen teaching of everything being perfect as it is. Things come and go, all in due time.

The story leaves me with the felling that seeking progress is a waste of time and that we should accept everything as it is. But I can't accept that in my present state of mind.

This would mean accepting slavery, war and even global warming and the deforestation of our planet as being perfect.

A planet full of enlightened beings would not seek to change anything and without change would become stagnant.

I would much rather see a story in which the initiate learned to accept that which he could not change as being perfect and to seek to change the things

that he could.

Thanks for the story.

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The story does not imply that nothing should change as impermanance is unavoidable. Nor should suffering be tolerated. You are reading far too much into the story my friend...

I support you in your above statement. It is very difficult to discuss the concept of "non-doing" as used in Tao and Zen philosophy.

I will comment on the following: "This story demonstrates the Zen teaching of everything being perfect as it is."

I suggest that it is not necessarily that "everything is perfect" but rather that everything is exactly as it should be at this very moment in time but that doesn't mean that we should not try to make things better. It is just that there is a 'right' time for everything, and when one selects the 'right' time for action then the action will require the least amount of effort. Almost like the event happened on its own, naturally.

Peace & Love!

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I support you in your above statement. It is very difficult to discuss the concept of "non-doing" as used in Tao and Zen philosophy.

I will comment on the following: "This story demonstrates the Zen teaching of everything being perfect as it is."

I suggest that it is not necessarily that "everything is perfect" but rather that everything is exactly as it should be at this very moment in time but that doesn't mean that we should not try to make things better. It is just that there is a 'right' time for everything, and when one selects the 'right' time for action then the action will require the least amount of effort. Almost like the event happened on its own, naturally.

Peace & Love!

I would like to buy your pretty ball of wax except it melts when I hold it to the light and read this line in the story

The master did not see the student again for a year. Finally, he came one day and the master inquired as to his progress. "I am just trying to live my life. As for progress, I couldn't care less!

I am but a silly grasshopper maybe my Masters could enlighten more on this?

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The master did not see the student again for a year. Finally, he came one day and the master inquired as to his progress. "I am just trying to live my life. As for progress, I couldn't care less!

I am but a silly grasshopper maybe my Masters could enlighten more on this?

Hey Grasshopper! (Hehehe),

You're doing fine. You see, when we stop all this silly contemplation about progress and goals and enlightenment, etc. we have time to live our life. If lived appropriate, our actions in life will bring about all these things "Naturally".

The problem is that when we sit around and meditate, asking questions that have no answers, dreaming up lofty goals for our life, our life is slipping away and we are not living it. We need to get up off our behind and LIVE! Progress will come, as if it was meant to be - naturally. I suggest to you that the best things we will ever do with our life is to live it and share it with others.

You see, progress is not the goal - living a fruitful life is the goal. When we are fruitful there will be progress. Just like the seeds that fall after the blooming of the flower. True, some seeds will fall and be eaten by ants and never progress to new plants but even those have served a purpose because they have fed the ants. And those seed that do germinate will become new plants and new flowers. That's progress!

Peace & Love!

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Hey Grasshopper! (Hehehe),

You're doing fine. You see, when we stop all this silly contemplation about progress and goals and enlightenment, etc. we have time to live our life. If lived appropriate, our actions in life will bring about all these things "Naturally".

The problem is that when we sit around and meditate, asking questions that have no answers, dreaming up lofty goals for our life, our life is slipping away and we are not living it. We need to get up off our behind and LIVE! Progress will come, as if it was meant to be - naturally. I suggest to you that the best things we will ever do with our life is to live it and share it with others.

You see, progress is not the goal - living a fruitful life is the goal. When we are fruitful there will be progress. Just like the seeds that fall after the blooming of the flower. True, some seeds will fall and be eaten by ants and never progress to new plants but even those have served a purpose because they have fed the ants. And those seed that do germinate will become new plants and new flowers. That's progress!

Peace & Love!

Ah the scales have fallen from my eyes Master and now I see the light.

Twas not a ball of wax at all but a beautiful cocoon and the Lovely Butterfly has been set free and will now float blissfully through life.

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