On a clear and bright day,
Clouds gather in deep valleys.
In a remote and silent place,
Radiant sunlight illuminates the clear sky.
Gatha from the Mirror of Zen by Zen Master So Sahn
Commentary:
I like this gatha and I think I know what it means, but cannot yet find the right words to express it. So because I cannot find the right words, I was going to abandon this post and search for another quotation. But then I read that one of the ten 'sicknesses' one must avoid in meditation on sayings and parables is "allowing yourself to get caught by words and speech... Instead keeping your mind clear, pour all of your energy into the question 'What is this?' " (also from the Mirror of Zen).
So I will continue to meditate on the gatha throughout the day and see if its meaning crystallizes. I may or may not come back for further commentary, depending on whether I find the right words to express how it makes me feel. In the meantime, I encourage comments from anyone else.
3 comments:
Hi Heather. Well, I don't know exactly what it means either. Nor do I know if there is a true singular meaning to this or if, as I suspect, that the meaning varies according to where the reader is in life at that particular moment. For me, right now, it reminds me of the value of solitude and of having the time for quiet reflection. As I type this I have one baby asking to be fed and another ransacking the bookcase! They bring me such joy but I am often so very busy and so immersed in the 'deep valley' of their care that it takes me finding a 'remote and silent place' , even if just for a few precious moments, to recharge and truly appreciate how blessed I am...
Jennifer,
Well said! Of course the meaning of all these quotations will vary for each us, depending on where we are. My head was in the clouded deep valley yesterday, and I just couldn't get words to roll off my tongue. Thanks for your input.
So Noah likes to ransack the bookcase too, huh? Its never-ending with Luke! As soon as we put them back on the shelf... there they are on the floor again. At least they like books!
P.S. I assumed which Jennifer this post was from, as I can't actually see your details. But I don't think I have too many readers out there whom I didn't invite to the blog. Sorry if I got the wrong Jennifer!
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