Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Sayings to ponder

A friend of mine sent me the following quotations this morning. I think they are all excellent:
There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.

As a man danced so the drums were beaten for him. (Ibo proverb, from Chinhua Achebe)

If you seek, how is that different from pursuing sound and form? If you don’t seek, how are you different from earth, wood, or stone? You must seek without seeking. (Fo-Yan)

Get away from any man who argues every time he talks. (Abbot Pastor)

Any trial whatever that comes to you can be conquered by silence. (Abbot Pastor)

Clear mind is like the full moon in the sky. Sometimes clouds come and cover it, but the moon is always behind them. Clouds go away, then the moon shines brightly. So don't worry about clear mind: it is always there. When thinking comes, behind it is clear mind. When thinking goes, there is only clear mind. Thinking comes and goes, comes and goes. You must not be attached to the coming or the going. (Zen Master Seung Sahn)
I particularly like the one about staying away from someone who perpetually argues. It's not good for you. And it's also not good for that person.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous11:59 AM

    If I had learned that any trial can be conquered by silence, it would have saved me a lot of grief in my life.
    The final one about clear mind I am going to have to think about a very long time. It seems very simple and very complicated at the same time.
    Carolyn L.

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