During a question period, Mole asked, “How important is intelligence to the practice?”
Raven asked, “How do you use it?”
Mole said, “As best I can with what it is.”
Raven asked, “How do you depend on it?”
“You know,” said Mole, “I really don’t depend on it very much at all.”
Raven bobbed his head silently.
Uit: Zen Master Raven,The Teachings of a Wise Old Bird, Robert Aitken, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2017, p. 172.
Afbeelding: A Green Thought in a Green Shade, Helen Frankenthaler, 1981.
In the tradition of the great koan collections and the records of ancient masters, Robert Aitken distills a lifetime of teaching down to its essence. Intriguing and deceptively simple, Zen Master Raven is a brilliant encapsulation of Zen in over a hundred koan-like encounters alongside many charming illustrations. Featuring curious beginners like Mallard and Mole and profound teachers like Brown Bear, Moose Roshi, and Zen Master Raven himself, this classic of contemporary Zen and will inspire seekers for generations to come. – wisdompubs.org