There is no greater suffering than to be caught up in the bustle of worldly affairs, there is no greater joy than cultivating the Way with one-pointed mind. The Way is no other than the greatest joy in this world. Abandoning the Way to seek out pleasure is like throwing away food and seeking hunger!

Xinggang

Zhiyuan Xinggang (1597-1657) was a female Linji Zen dharma heir.

Uit: Zen Women – Beyond Tea Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho Masters, Grace Schireson, Wisdom Publishers, Somerville, 2009.
Afbeelding: Happily Ploughing, David Burliuk.
Over het boek: This landmark presentation at last makes heard the centuries of Zen’s female voices. Through exploring the teachings and history of Zen’s female ancestors, from the time of the Buddha to ancient and modern female masters in China, Korea, and Japan, Grace Schireson offers us a view of a more balanced Dharma practice, one that is especially applicable to our complex lives, embedded as they are in webs of family relations and responsibilities, and the challenges of love and work.