تنها زمانی که اشتیاق عمیق داریم، از نظر معنوی پیشرفت می‌کنیم، قسمت ۴ از ۴

You think you can relax and do whatever you want every day. Mostly you just fall asleep. Just lie there and sleep the whole day. You haven’t reached the level that you can sleep. Better don’t try it. Once you sleep, you truly sleep. You still don’t deserve to sleep that much. […] If someone is a student, but every single day he doesn’t read books or study, when will he graduate? You may see the teacher dancing every day, socializing with others, or going to movies, but she’s a teacher! She doesn’t have to work hard since she has worked hard already. Understand? Don’t make comparisons.  […] It’s not good. When others move up, you are repeating the grade. It’s not fun. […]

Even comparing yourself with fellow initiates is not necessary. We should just mind our own business, and focus on our own practice. There’s a temple in Japan with many monks living there. […] Only he alone had to work. […] Then he complained. The abbot told him, “You work for your own sake, not for anyone else. Without you, someone else will do it. You do your own duty and make yourself happy, that’s enough. What’s there to compare? If you think you do it for others, then don’t do it.” Understand? But you cannot sleep over there. They’re “Zen students.” We are members of “Zen Meditation Association.” […]

You still have to meditate. (OK.) Whenever we feel that we still have flaws, still have greed, anger, foolishness, still are ignorant, then we still have to meditate. […] So, everyone, please be more diligent in your practice. Otherwise, no matter who I’ve sent away, it makes me very sad. It’s difficult to have grabbed someone here, and then I have to kick them out. This is a losing business. Nurturing them for so long and then have to kick them out. It’s really a waste of money. However lousy you are, you still have to meditate more, be more diligent and more sincere. Be sincere in understanding the Master’s Teachings, and in knowing what we are here for. […]