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The Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty was a national hero for his success as both a statesman and military leader. But despite his fame, power, and wealth, he considered himself a humble and devout Buddhist. Often he visited his favorite Zen master to study under him, and they seemed to get along very well. The fact that he was prime minister apparently had no effect on their relationship, which seemed to be simply one of a revered master and respectful student.
One day, during his usual visit, the Prime Minister asked the master, “Your Reverence, what is egotism according to Buddhism?” The master’s face turned red, and in a very condescending and insulting tone of voice, he shot back, “What kind of stupid question is that!?”
This unexpected response so shocked the Prime Minister that he became sullen and angry. The Zen master then smiled and said, “THIS, Your Excellency, is egotism.”
I’m not a fan of hospitals and doctors. I do everything in my power to stay away from them. After friday’s “vibrating hands and runaway heart” and yesterday morning’s “kinda feeling weird” came today’s “chest pain and electrical discharges in left arm”. As I was already in my car, I made a U-turn and headed for the nearest hospital. After less than an hour of waiting, I was seen by a nurse. Ten to fifteen minutes later I was wired to an electrocardiograph. Five minutes after that, a very nice doctor came into the room and had a talk with me. The ecg was normal but considering my age (she said charmingly), she gave me a number to schedule a treadmill stress test.
I find this highly annoying.
distance:31.436km
Time: 1h30m49s
Maximum speed: 35.1km/h
Average speed: 20.8km/h
distance:19.228km
Time: 0h56m06s
Maximum speed: 34.8km/h
Average speed: 20.6km/h
distance:32.780km
Time: 1h35m36s
Maximum speed: 38.1km/h
Average speed: 20.6km/h
distance:18.049km
Time: 1h00m10s
Maximum speed: 56.9km/h
Average speed: 18km/h
distance:21.770km
Time: 1h06m25s
Maximum speed: 40.0km/h
Average speed: 19.7km/h
Choices
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
“Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
“Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You too shall pass away.
Knowing this, how can you quarrel?
How easily the wind overturns a frail tree.
Seek happiness in the senses,
Indulge in food and sleep,
And you too will be uprooted.
The wind cannot overturn a mountain.
Temptation cannot touch the man
Who is awake, strong and humble,
Who masters himself and minds the dharma.
If a man’s thoughts are muddy,
If he is reckless and full of deceit,
How can he wear the yellow robe?
Whoever is master of his own nature,
Bright, clear and true,
He may indeed wear the yellow robe.
Mistaking the false for the true,
And the true for the false,
You overlook the heart
And fill yourself with desire.
See the false as false,
The true as true.
Look into your heart.
Follow your nature.
An unreflecting mind is a poor roof.
Passion, like the rain, floods the house.
But if the roof is strong, there is shelter.
Whoever follows impure thoughts
Suffers in this world and the next.
In both worlds he suffers
And how greatly
When he sees the wrong he has done.
But whoever follows the dharma
Is joyful here and joyful there.
In both worlds he rejoices
And how greatly
When he sees the good he has done.
For great is the harvest in this world,
And greater still in the next.
However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?
Are you a shepherd
Who counts another man’s sheep,
Never sharing the way?
Read as few words as you like,
And speak fewer.
But act upon the dharma.
Give up the old ways -
Passion, enmity, folly.
Know the truth and find peace.
Share the way.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
“Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
“Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You too shall pass away.
Knowing this, how can you quarrel?
How easily the wind overturns a frail tree.
Seek happiness in the senses,
Indulge in food and sleep,
And you too will be uprooted.
The wind cannot overturn a mountain.
Temptation cannot touch the man
Who is awake, strong and humble,
Who masters himself and minds the dharma.
If a man’s thoughts are muddy,
If he is reckless and full of deceit,
How can he wear the yellow robe?
Whoever is master of his own nature,
Bright, clear and true,
He may indeed wear the yellow robe.
Mistaking the false for the true,
And the true for the false,
You overlook the heart
And fill yourself with desire.
See the false as false,
The true as true.
Look into your heart.
Follow your nature.
An unreflecting mind is a poor roof.
Passion, like the rain, floods the house.
But if the roof is strong, there is shelter.
Whoever follows impure thoughts
Suffers in this world and the next.
In both worlds he suffers
And how greatly
When he sees the wrong he has done.
But whoever follows the dharma
Is joyful here and joyful there.
In both worlds he rejoices
And how greatly
When he sees the good he has done.
For great is the harvest in this world,
And greater still in the next.
However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?
Are you a shepherd
Who counts another man’s sheep,
Never sharing the way?
Read as few words as you like,
And speak fewer.
But act upon the dharma.
Give up the old ways -
Passion, enmity, folly.
Know the truth and find peace.
Share the way.
distance:15.412km
Time: 0h47m49s
Maximum speed: 43.2km/h
Average speed: 19.3km/h
These are important to me:
My nephew, my sister, my mother, my father. My friends. Most of my coworkers. People that have faith in me. The effort I put into my work. Honesty. Trust. Inner peace. Solitude. A sense of hope. Burning myself out on my bike. Snow. Humour. Sillyness. The local landscape. Books. Cats. Fall. Spring. Winter. Summer. Darkness. Crickets.
Also, the feeling I sometimes have of being one with everthing that ever was, ever is and ever will be a.k.a. the occasional mini stroke.
These I could live without:
Secrecy. Lies. Dishonesty. Ambition. Greed. Lawnmowers. Stupidity. The culture of fear. Network news. High gas prices. Injustice. Double standards. Asphalt. Heat. Traffic. Intolerance. Politicians. Celebrities. Dogs. Taxes. Crowds. Humidity. Cigarettes. The myriads of masks that (I) people wear to protect (myself) themselves or keep others at a distance. “Reality”. Anger.
