Zen And The The Lightness of Being

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The excess body weight that one lugs around everywhere may or may not shorten our trip here, but what about the heavy burdens of stress, anxiety, worry in life, that definitely will? It reminds me of a popular Zen story, one that defines it as well.

There was a Zen master who always carried a heavy bag on his shoulders, filled with sweets and goodies children loved. He used to travel carrying this heavy load and wherever he went, children would gather around him and he would just laugh and distribute sweets to them. 

People wondered if he was really a Zen master and decided to test him. They asked him, "What is Zen?"  Without saying a word, he just dropped his heavy bag from his shoulders. Next they asked him, "What is the goal of Zen?” This time he took the bag back on his shoulders and walked away. 

This is the essence of Zen. One has to drop one's load, the "huge weight of material concerns", discard everything that is on the way, remain free, stand up straight and keep walking. With the load one can never be able to do it. Then, what is the goal of Zen? Like the Master, you take up the whole load once again! But now it is no more a load; it does not feel like a load because you have the awareness and you know the whole thing is there, but is not really there!

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