A young student asked their master, “What is the ultimate truth?”
The master replied, “The ultimate truth is beyond words and concepts, beyond mind and matter, beyond time and space. It is the truth of total liberation from all defilements, all impurities, all suffering. It is the final goal of everyone.”
The student pondered for a moment, then asked, “How can one attain this ultimate truth?”
The master replied, “One can attain this ultimate truth by observing reality as it is, by observing the truth inside oneself. As one practices, one frees oneself from the misery of mental impurities and penetrates to the ultimate truth of mind and matter. And then, one transcends that, and experiences the truth which is beyond mind and matter. Whatever name one gives this ultimate truth is irrelevant; it is the truth of total liberation.”
The student nodded, understanding the master’s words. From that day forward, they committed to their practice of observing the truth inside themselves, seeking to attain the ultimate truth of total liberation.
Anonymous
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Moksha
Here’s a Zen koan related to the concept of Moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth:
A student once asked his Zen master, “How can I achieve Moksha as a Spiritual Athlete?” The master replied, “Imagine a bird trapped in a cage. It dreams of soaring through the sky and being free, but it is bound by the bars of the cage.
Self-Discovery
Men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains
The mighty waves of the sea
The broad tides of rivers …
Love and Compassion
A student once asked his Zen master, “How can I cultivate love and compassion as a Spiritual Athlete?”