GRASSHOPPER SERIES
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE
- see below
ARE YOU MUSASHI?
- see below
COMPASSION
- see below
OVERSTANDING
- see below
TIME
- see below
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
Grasshopper: "Master, I need some of your wisdom today, I feel very down and negative for some reason and cannot shake it off. Could you help?"
Master: " Oh? That's not good, ha,ha. What then would you like to be then rather than negative?"
Grasshopper: " Ouch! That hit me. Errr, well positive, yes, I need to feel and be more positive."
Master: " Hmmmm, not good. No wonder you can't shake it off."
Grasshopper: " Huh? But, but, but.....positive is wrong? I don't get it."
Master: " Ha,ha,ha when you walked in here you were stuck in negativity were you not? And still are, are you not?"
Grasshopper: "Er, er, yes."
Master: " Then you are positively being negative. When someone comes to beat you up they are being very positive about it are they not? Even enthusiastic. Thus they are positive about doing such a negative action are they not? "
Grasshopper: "Wow, how do you see these things? So, it's not a matter of being positive or negative?"
Master: "Unfortunately for you, you are stuck in the false view of yin and Yang. How many times have I told you that yin and Yang as explained on this earth is fake, false. They know not yin and Yang. Hmmm, let me show you something. You feel negative eh? Negative is the inverse of good. Therefore you don't feel good, is that not so?" Grasshopper: "Hmm, yes."
Master: "So it is not the opposite of good, it is the inverse yes?"
Grasshopper: "Hmmm, yes."
Master: "Yin and Yang is the subject of complimentary opposites, not inverses. Folk say an example of yin and Yang would be good and bad and together they bring about balance. How stupid they are. Bad is the inverse of good and negates good. Right now you are a prime example of that. Does that make you feel balanced? Or indeed in harmony?"
Grasshopper: " No!"
Master: "Good, then know that fake yin and Yang is there to keep you down. Another trick of Mara. O.k. Now, back to positive. Coming to me saying you want to be positive tempt me to reply with with that famous zen saying: 'What are you doing? What are you saying?' and leave it at that for your contemplation. But, today I will give you a different exercise. Between yin and Yang lies neutral. Three parts to yin and Yang, not two. Now, without the neutral yin and Yang cannot operate, only from neutral can you see both sides. Do you get that?"
Grasshopper: "Errrr, yes."
Master: "Very good. So now let me give you your next lesson. The truth of positive for what you think it is and means is false, fake. The true meaning of positive is Neutral. Neutral is Positive. Neutral neutalizes negativity. Now, go and contemplate being neutral and you will achieve your request of being positive. Once you are neutral you will be back in the now. Now go!"Peace.G.
ARE YOU MUSASHI?
Master: "Grasshopper, are you o.k? Your eyes are like saucers. Have you seen a ghost?"
Grasshopper: "Yes you! Are you Musashi? Everyone's talking about you. What you did this morning! How did you do that!?"
Master: "That? That what?"
Grasshopper: "This morning! The students sword practice. They are all saying they were practicing cutting through the bamboo and you walked by, stopped, looked unimpressed, so you walked up and cut through them cleanly with your Bokken!? They showed me the cut pieces and they looked like they had been cut through by a razor yet you did it with a wooden sword? Wow!"
Master: "Oh dear, have I not told you before, bokkens are for cutting. Have I not told you before many even believe bokkens have nothing to do with cutting, very frustrating. I thought you understood that.:
Grasshopper: "Yes but....a Bokken? Actually cutting through as if it's a sharp steel blade? That's amazing!"
Master: "Amazing? What's amazing? Everyone talking about it eh? Now THAT is the only amazing thing I see. Is that why your eyes are like saucers? THAT too is amazing. You all must think I was demonstrating something. Grasshopper. I never demonstrate anything. So your amazement and their amazement is worthless! I merely taught them a lesson. Obviously they and you by the looks of it learned nothing!"
Grasshopper: "Oh. Phew....er...a lesson? Er....ah...that they were not cutting?"
Master: "No!"
Grasshopper: "Huh? Errr....um....then what?"
Master: "Hmmmm, o.k, as you are the sincerest I will tell you this lesson. The sharpness of the blade has nothing to do with any kind of blade sharpening technique or whether a hair falling on the blade gets cut in half. No. No. No! The sharpness of the blade is wholly in YOU! This you must learn."
Peace.G.
COMPASSION
Koshiteru: "Master, the love in Aikido, is it compassion?"
Master: "No, they are two different things. Compassion is part of centre. The sword is made of Kindness, the wave is of love and peace, what do you think manifests from compassion?"
Koshiteru: "The jo?"
Master: "No,no,no. Ha, yet another secret for you young one. Though it's no secret but merely a truth. Compassion is the Shield. Compassion moves mountains Koshiteru." Peace.G.
Koshiteru: "Master, the love in Aikido, is it compassion?"
Master: "No, they are two different things. Compassion is part of centre. The sword is made of Kindness, the wave is of love and peace, what do you think manifests from compassion?"
Koshiteru: "The jo?"
Master: "No,no,no. Ha, yet another secret for you young one. Though it's no secret but merely a truth. Compassion is the Shield. Compassion moves mountains Koshiteru."
Peace.G.
OVERSTANDING
Grasshopper: Overstanding.
Grasshopper: "Master, I get it now, I have been under a word spell, from now on I will look to Overstand as understanding is a trick!"
Master: "Ha, ha,ha, no wonder your ego looks so bright today. I see you have put a spell on yourself!"
Grasshopper: "No Master, it all makes sense, we have been fooled!"
Master: "Hmmm, a very powerful spell you are in eh?"
Grasshopper: "You think I am mistaken? How so?"
Master: "Trapped in ignorance, you are. Happy about it too. Hmmm, there you are. we trap ourselves through ignorance, we build our own prisons all by ourselves, ha ha ha."
Grasshopper: "But it feels so true!."
Master: "Oh, you come in here today looking all bright and superior. Is that not true? Does it make you feel superior now to all those 'poor fellows' stuck in understanding? That can only be ego."
Grasshopper: "Hmmm, maybe, but er, er , ummmmm, under, yes, under, why should I put myself under?"
Master: "Ha, ha, ha, Why put yourself Over? That is ego!"
Grasshopper: "Oh, I felt that! So are you saying both are wrong?"
Master: "Ha, ha, obviously you still don't understand."
Grasshopper: "O.k. help me if you will."
Master: "Ha, ha you made my day, you can be very humorous sometimes. You probably think under. Below, beneath, are all negative words. Seeing them that way is indeed a spell for it is a lie. Ha, ha , so you Grasshopper, do not know the meaning of these words so fall prey to such stupidity. Maybe the truth is OVER your head."
Grasshopper: "Hmmm, o.k. here I go again. back to confusion."
Master: "Grasshopper, can you feel the Earth Under your feet? Is it not Beneath you? Does that make it of less worth than you? It will always support you, always. The earth will always provide for you. Do you always support the earth? Provide for the Earth? Ha. Ha, maybe you are Above that? Ha. Ha, maybe you think you are a God. Mother Earth is always beneath you, under your feet. It is thus a base is it not? A Stable base. Is the base of anything, any structure, any building not under the rest? Beneath? Yet remove the base and everything collapses. A good understanding gives you a good base to operate from does it not? Now. I will say again, Only ego overstands. Now go practice some Aikido from understanding please, ha,ha. The moment you Overstand you will get hit ha ha. So be careful Grasshopper."
Peace.G.
TIME
Grasshopper visited Master looking all chuffed with himself after not visiting for a couple of months.
Master: "Ahhh, Grasshopper, where have you been? You look like you are happy with something."
Grasshopper: "Yes Master, I have spoken to many wise men and teachers and read many things about the truth of time and I am happy."
Master: "Oh? Then tell me. What time is it?"
Grasshopper gave his answer and left with the sound of one hand clapping ringing in his ears. Each day he went back with a new answer and left with the sound of one hand clapping. This went on for two weeks. Grasshopper was frustrated but determined. So this fifteenth day he went in expecting the same but something felt different.
Master: "Grasshopper, do you know kotodama?"
Grasshopper: "I think so, to a degree anyway, I practice it every day."
Master: "Hmmm, interesting. Show me just one sound of the sounds of kotodama, just one." (This grasshopper proceeded to do)
Master: "Now Grasshopper, in which time does that note live? Which time did that not come from? For each note does not come from the same time. Each lives in a different time. As do your one spirit and four souls. Now, WHAT IS THE TIME?"
Once again grasshopper left with the sound of one hand clapping.
Two more weeks followed and each day he left with the same result, getting more and more frustrated. Then one day he felt a calmness. Ahhh, an answer! He returned.
Master: "Ahh Grasshopper, something changed? What have you to say?"
Grasshopper: "I do not have the answer."
Master: "Good. Now I can progress. Did you know, some people live in the present and are very happy. They live in present time. Some live in the moment and are also happy. Some live in the now and are also happy. Some live in the here and are also happy. So what happens when they become unhappy? Why does that happen at all?"
Grasshopper: "I don't know."
Master: "Hmmm, did you know a person may be in the now but he is not in the present. Another may be in the present but he is not here. Another may be here but he is not in the moment. An enlightened man would be in all times. Now go contemplate these things I have told you and come back tomorrow."
Next day.
Master: " What have you to say?"
Grasshopper: "I realize I have much to learn Master, it will take patience, not just you giving me an answer."
Master: "Very good. Have you ever pondered the question 'Who am I?'
Grasshopper: "Yes, yet another question which takes much patience and I have yet to answer."
Master: "Very good. Very honest. Many people ask themselves that question and it leads them on a spiritual path towards enlightenment. Some should have asked firstly 'what am I?' But now you have been drawn to the question of time Grasshopper. It is quite amusing to me for without knowing the different times they have no chance of answering the question 'where am I?" Maybe one day you may be able to answer that question and then Grasshopper you may be able to answer my original question. Now, before you leave do you have anything to say?"
Grasshopper: "Yes, I know you will give me some unexpected Zen answer, so for fun to make me smile even though you have some other hidden truth in your answer please could you tell me where YOU are?"
Master: "Ha, ha, ha. Grasshopper, I am here and there, inner and outer, more than and less than."
Peace.G.
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