Live on Joy

Good evening!

Most of us here had a delicious dinner at Shuri’s home, and now we sit together in zazen. In Japan, we say, “Onaji kama-no meshi-wo kuu, eating out of the same pan or rice cooker.”

There is a zen story: Here is a cauldron: even three people cannot be satisfied by its contents. But, hundreds of people can be satisfied. How can this be? If each person yields to the others, there’s no problem.

There is also a Bible story: Three loaves of bread and five fish satisfied thousands of people, and still there were leftovers. There also is the saying: Man does not live by bread alone.

When the Buddha did not get food in his begging bowl, the devil whispered into his ears, “Go back!” The Buddha replied, “No, I live on joy.”

Mankind would face mass hunger and starvation from now on. But if we sit down, we won’t fight and kill each other. Rather, we can live on joy by sharing, or even without food.

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