Thinking Practice

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July 04

Question: How can one control their thinking while sitting?

Zen Master Seung Sahn: If you are attached to your thinking, then your practice and your thoughts are different. If you are not attached to thoughts, thinking is practice, practice is thinking. This is called "only practicing."

Student: What is only practicing?

ZMSS: When you first start driving a car, you cannot give your attention to sights or sounds, or else you will crash. However, after some practice, you can talk, look at things and listen to the radio without any problem. Talking and sightseeing have become part of driving. Your seeing, hearing and speaking are non-attachment. It is the same with Zen. "Only Zen" contains walking, eating, sleeping, talking and watching television‹just do it! All of these have become non-attached thinking. This is only practicing.

Student: What is attached thinking?

ZMSS: If, while driving, you are attached to your thoughts, you will go through a stop sign and get a ticket; you will cross the center line and have a wreck; you will end up in New York thinking that you are going to Boston. In this way, attachment to thinking leads to suffering.

Student: Thank you. Now I understand.

ZMSS: Since you understand I ask you: Are thinking and not thinking the same or different?

Student: When I'm thirsty, I drink.

ZMSS: Very good! Go drink tea.

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8:53 AM | Blog it

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