The Way to Total Freedom Takes GUTS

Ryokan, an 18th century Zen monk wrote:

"Without a bit of ambition left, I let my nature flow where it will. There are ten days of rice in my bag, and by the fireplace a bundle of wood Who prattles of illusion or nirvana? Forgetting the equal dusts of name & fortune, listening to the night rain on the roof of my hut, I sit, at ease, both legs stretched out."

So, the other day I was musing how it might be easier if we just got euthanized at 50 (I'm 52) - you know, something like Soilent Green is People! I mean, a few thousand years ago, (and in some places, much more recently) I would most likely be dead by now anyway. But as humans we have this incredible attachment to living. I'm not sure why, really. We tend to treat death as if it's something to be avoided. You do know it's inevitable don't you. In fact, much of the difficulty is the great struggle to resist death in all its forms. Much of this looks like "There's something wrong!" Our day to day experience is often seeped in "there's something wrong." We can't necessarily get a grasp of what it is, but there's something wrong!

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG!

As I lay there, with nothing particular arising to be done, it ocurred to me that as long as there is a sense of something wrong, there will be an inclination to do something about it. Now, 'WHO' wants to do something about it? To whom is such an idea arising.

There is an old saying, "DIE to LIVE." In order to really experience LIFE, one must Give Up The Struggle - yes, that's right, it takes G.U.T.S. - - - Giving Up The Struggle - The struggle to live, the struggle to know, the struggle to correct what's theoretically wrong, all the struggles. Now, some would call this resignation, but resignation suggests that I want it to be different, but I can't have it different so I give up. This is more akin to surrender, which says, it's perfect as it is. All the struggle is really just resistance to what is, and the resistance comes from the sense of a localized individual that is somehow separate from the whole. Often this individual considers themselves as searching. So guess what? G.U.T.S. can also mean Give Up The Search. And who is making this search? Why the Seeker. So, once more, the answer is G.U.T.S. - Give up the Seeker.

As long as one is seeking, one can not find. The cost of freedom is EVERYTHING. You must give up all beliefs and concepts and BE the Absolute free from limitations. How do you do this. Well, it takes GUTS!!

With Infinite love & gratitude,

and Without a bit of ambition left

Aja