I need to be careful. If there is no “Path” no one way of obtaining enlightenment with nothing too obtain then it doesn’t matter where I am when I practice. It would be a mistake to believe that I must go Mu Sang Sad temple, become a hermit on the mountain, or any other place for that matter. This is attachment to the appearances to the superficial aspects of monk-hood. Even monk-hood is superfluous. This is not to say that these things do not help me it’s simply to say that if I think this is the end all and be all then I will become disillusioned and suffer.


A man came to an abbot and said “I have been practicing Zazen (seated meditation) for years but I haven’t gained enlightenment what am I doing wrong?” the abbot picked up a tile off of the floor and violently started to polish it with his sleeve. This continued till the man shouted “What are you doing?” the abbot stopped and calmly replied “No matter how long I polish this tile it will not become a mirror.”

Monk-hood is like this I will be like that man trying to obtain enlightenment if I only focus on monk-hood. It seems to me then that I should study, look at applying the practice here now, and when I can become a monk it will be organic. A simple transition.

I need to be careful. If there is no “Path” no one way of obtaining enlightenment with nothing too obtain then it doesn’t matter where I am when I practice. It would be a mistake to believe that I must go Mu Sang Sad temple, become a hermit on the mountain, or any other place for that matter. This is attachment to the appearances to the superficial aspects of monk-hood. Even monk-hood is superfluous. This is not to say that these things do not help me it’s simply to say that if I think this is the end all and be all then I will become disillusioned and suffer.


A man came to an abbot and said “I have been practicing Zazen (seated meditation) for years but I haven’t gained enlightenment what am I doing wrong?” the abbot picked up a tile off of the floor and violently started to polish it with his sleeve. This continued till the man shouted “What are you doing?” the abbot stopped and calmly replied “No matter how long I polish this tile it will not become a mirror.”

Monk-hood is like this I will be like that man trying to obtain enlightenment if I only focus on monk-hood. It seems to me then that I should study, look at applying the practice here now, and when I can become a monk it will be organic. A simple transition.