Mindfulness -from the pages of a cook's experience as a chopper!

October 29, 2004

"adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16>

Thu Jul 8, 2004 8:29 am

From the words of the cook i have learnt how to take care

of my life!

Prince Hui's cook was cutting up an oxen. Every blow of his hand,

every heave of his shoulders, every step of his foot, every thrust of

his knee, every whshh of the oxen's torn flesh, every chhk of the

chopper, was in perfect harmony— in rhythm like the dance of the

Mulberry Grove, simultaneous like the chords of the Ching Shou.

"Well done!" cried the Prince.

"How did you ever achieve such skill?"

"Sire," replied the cook, "I have always devoted myself to the Tao.

It is better than skill. When I first began cutting up oxens, I saw

before me simply whole oxens. After three years of practice, I saw no

more whole animals. And now I work with my mind and not with my eye.

When my senses bid me stop, but my mind urges me on, I fall back upon

eternal principles. I follow such openings or cavities as there may

be, according to the animal's natural physique. I do not attempt to

cut through the veins, arteries, and tendons, still less through

large bones."

"A good cook changes his chopper once a year— because he cuts. An

ordinary cook, once a month— because he hacks. But I have had this

chopper nineteen years, and although I have cut up many thousands

oxens, its edge is as if fresh from the grindstone. For at the joints

there are always crevices, and the edge of a chopper being without

thickness, it remains only to insert that which is without thickness

into such a crevice. By these means the crevice will be enlarged, and

the blade will find plenty of room. It is thus that I have kept my

chopper for nineteen years as though fresh from the grindstone."

"Nevertheless, when I come upon a hard part where the blade meets

with a difficult section, I proceed with caution. I fix my gaze and

go slowly, gently applying my blade, until with a Hwah! the part

yields like earth crumbling to the ground. Then I take out my

chopper, and stand up, and look around, and pause, until with an air

of triumph I wipe my chopper and put it carefully away."

"Bravo!" cried the Prince.

"From the words of this cook I have learnt how to take care of my

life."

— Chuang Tzu (369-286 BC)

The Chuang Tzu, Ch. 3: "Nourishment of the Soul"

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ps - advaitins- i apologize - i know Hinduism advocates

vegetarianism - Ahimsa ...

but look at the deep meaning behind this story .... in everything we

do, we should practice mindful meditation.

You must see my Grandson putting away his Toys in his nursery ! it

takes him almost an hour ! believe me, he does it so methodically ,

every toy in its place and a place for every toy! next day, when he

is ready to play, he and his friends have no problem!

|

October 29, 2004

Dear Adiji:

Zen stories are interesting in some ways and make good points but I have

wondered why many of them involve chopping animals.

Perhaps these things are culturally based,

I recall a story where a Zen master cut a cat in half and his disciple

became enlightened or something.

Good for the disciple but probably bad for the cat, especially if the cat

did not want to be used as an object for someone's enlightenment.

Of course the Zen stuff could all be a bunch of crap! :-).

The above statement is very Zen like and would be approved by the highest

Zen master.

Highest Zen Master, please speak up!

Oh wait! I just did!

Love to all

Harsha

_____

adi_shakthi16 [adi_shakthi16]

Friday, October 29, 2004 9:35 AM

advaitin

Mindfulness -from the pages of a cook's experience as a

chopper!