Fudo wrote: > Once a rich man walked into a store, and said to the owner, "I want > only the best. What is the best thing you have to sell?", The owner of > the store waved his arm about the store and said "everything here is > the best".
Well, so the shopkeeper claims (it is not the first time I've heard it claimed sincerely) -- I will keep his advisement as I wander the store. Where I am at is, is knowing that my desire for the best item arises from (and as of recently simulateosly manifests as) a desire to choose most freely from the items. Of course, this means I want to choose independent of price, or gold leafing, or prominent display, but more profoundly, I want to choose independent of my internally constructed judgements which are tiresome detours leading to purchases that quickly lose luster. So is the shopkeeper's advice actually helpful, now that i finally know that I want to eat (know) less? Seems to me that if my appetite was for the perfect amount, or for the largest meal, then I should need his/her input. But as it is, I can only scoff in reply: "Easy for you to say! To you these items come and go, and you have this inherited storefront to feed you! If you're recommending that in a single moment I could be an art dealer valuing equally pieces big and small, and spontaneously kill the greedy collector within, then I'm humbled by your bold advice... but I fear you underestimate my greed." So, the best I can think to do, is move away from the gold vase to the peuter vase and try to discover their same worth, thereby not having to endure the gold's distracting glints and reflection's. And also back away from the razor sharp royal crown in favor of the most uninteresting trinket (e.g. zazen) until after turning it over and over in my hands the illusion is dispelled through brute repetition. Do you instead tell me to realize the equivalent value of all your sundries in an instant? How? ... Always eager to stretch a metaphor to the fullest... (like a piano wire, so that if struck properly it sings!) :-P My best, Rod ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> It is better to give.... Especially when giving to a child in poverty. Click here to meet a child you can help. http://us.click.yahoo.com/.haQaA/0nhJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
