The sky is blue. The grass is green. The snow is cold. The rain is wet. The sun comes up each day in our world and goes down. That is the way things are. There is nothing to think about. There is nothing to worry about. That is the way. When you are in touch with the way, you have peace.
Is there a self? Is there not a self? Who is thinking these thoughts? The sage looks past these questions. Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Live in the moment. Be present at all times. Questions with no answers are not worth pursuing. Trying to sound wise on metaphysical meanderings is of no use.
We are born, we age, we die. Why all the angst? That is the way. Did you think it would not happen to you? A person of 18 years will not look the same as that same person at 50 or 75 years. Only the foolish try to hang on to the past. The wise embrace today.
The sage does not worry about death. He makes peace with death before it is imminent. When he takes tea, he takes tea. When he sleeps, he sleeps. What will happen after we die? What will become of us? Everything we have ever owned will go to someone else or will be thrown away. Even things we treasured the most. Our role as a parent and a spouse will be taken over by another. Our work will be done by others or cast aside. Other people will take our place, people will find new friends. We will be forgotten in time. All that will remains of us is pictures and memories. Pictures fade or get lost. Memories are forgotten or death claims them.
Live in the moment. What will happen will happen. It is all part of the way. The sage is at peace with this. The sage experiences the way. Others merely talk about it. Words, words, words. Talk, talk, talk. Gradual or sudden, why argue?
You worry about yesterday, it is gone. You worry about tomorrow, it is not here. Only today is here. This moment in front of you. The way tells us to be present. When you are eating rice, do not think of pickles. When eating pickles, do not think of rice.
There is no sense in worrying about the future if you have no control over it. If you have control, then there is no need to worry. Let the way happen. Do zazen, live mindfully and find the way.
One does not need to intellectualize about it. It is enough to be a part of it. The only truth is what is happening in front of you. There is no truth before or after. There is nothing to worry about. Everything is as it is, true to its own nature. The sage realizes this and does not struggle. All waters flow into the sea.
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