February 03rd, 2015

Man's eternal quest is for the untroubled self hidden in the depth of his own eternal being. To find this self, is to discover the purpose of human existence; to understand this self, is to know the laws of human redemption; and to live in harmony with this self, is to enjoy a serene existence.

As the surface of the sea is troubled by the winds, so the thoughts and emotions of men are troubled by the storms of circumstance. But the deeper parts of the sea are not troubled by the tempest, and in each of us is a region of peace where self abides forever in blessedness.

All that is required is quiet determination, diligently sustained, leading to complete mental freedom. When we release ourselves from the tyranny of our own thoughts and emotions, we will discover true happiness.

It is the discovery not only of what we need to know, but of what we want to know.

Make the present dynamically right, and that which is good in the past will live; the rest will cease. Make the present right, and that which is necessary for the future will come.

Excerpted from:
"THE SPIRIT OF ZEN"
© 1964 Philosophical Research Society