December, 2024

"Peaceful abiding, here, now."
This is the Buddha's description of meditation.
This, and, "Don't listen to me!
Listen to YOU--and make up your own mind
about what's what and what is called for!
(Or words to that effect)"
are for me the only legitimate direct quotes
of the Buddha extant today.
Though ten billion things are said
that the Buddha said, these two will do fine for me.

And this photograph captures perfectly for me
the essence of "Peaceful abiding, here, now."

It all starts from there,
flows from there,
and returns to there.

"Peaceful abiding, here, now,"
is all there is to it.
Once we get that down,
we have it made,
and can remain there the rest of the way,
because once we have mastered the art
of peaceful abiding, here, now,
there is nothing left to do or to be,
and we are the peaceful master
of everything that comes our way.

And, from there, we are able to
arise, meet, and do whatever is called for
in each situation that comes along
for as long as there are situations 
to come along.

And I don't know what could beat that!