Trevor Leggett (1914 – 2000), was one of the leading writers on Zen Buddhism in the West.
However, for a time one may be satisfied with echoes, or even think that they are what is sought. Such experts in the holy texts may be satisfied themselves, and satisfy others, with quotations. They are like a helpful foreigner in a city, who when asked the way, pulls out a map and consults it before giving directions…
‘Oh, it’s not finished yet,’ replied the senior. ‘Now do the same practise, but this time think about, and try to understand, yourself.’
One comes to see that the real agony would be to lie not on dozens of spikes, but on just one big spike!
We often do not realise clearly that all our actions are of the same nature: they are bits for the ‘cabinet’ which is being made. One piece is as important as the other; some are bigger, some are smaller, but they are all important…
As enlightenment is approached keys to the locked rooms become available. At first it may take a good deal of courage to use even the smallest of them. Because the room has been locked we do not know what is in it and the mere fact that it has been locked seems to imply that what is in it, is terrible…
It can be argued in his defence that from the highest point of view there was only the Buddha nature under the Buddha floor boards; there was no-one there. So from the highest point of view he was telling the truth and not lying.
Against this it is contended that the three ordinary Samurai would not understand this highest point of view. They would take it literally and he must have known that. He gave them no indication that he was speaking to them from a higher level, so that he was constructively lying…
The fact is that however many tricks a student may have in his repertoire, he will not be able to do any of them, because he has no balance…
Sometimes we persist in a course of action although it ought to be perfectly clear that it will lead to a disaster…
