UH Meditation Class 5 - Looking inwards

Last week I shared with you one well-known story between the famous Chinese scholar Su Dongpo and his good friend Zen Buddhist Master Foyin. This week, I told you another humorous yet illuminating story between the two.

One day, Su Dongpo and Zen Master foyin was meditating in the monastery. When they finished, Su asked Foyin, "what do you see in front of you?"

"An enlightened Buddha!" Fo Yin smiled, "and what do you see?"

"A pile of bull shit!" Su Dong Po was making fun of Fo Yin. Su and Foyin often debated on Buddhism and philosophy and Foyin always defeated Su. Su thought this time he won!

Su Dong Po went home with a light heart. At the door, he met his little sister. She asked why her brother looked so happy.

"Because I won this time."
"How?" his little sister asked.

Upon hearing the story, Su's sister commented,

"My dear brother, you lost again."

"What?" he protested.

"Foyin has reached the state of a Buddha's mind. That is why he saw you as a Buddha. On the other hand, you had nothing but bull shit in your heart. As a result, you saw everything else as shit"

Buddhism talks about cause and effect. When we look inward, we see that all sufferings are caused by us, not by some external, supernatural, or uncontrollable circumstances. When our mind is tranquil, we see things around us peaceful. Meditation helps us reach that tranquil state.