Surrender

The seeker approached the master and said, “I am ready to give up everything in order to find out the truth about God. I will give up my job, my money, my family, everything. Tell me, what must I do?”

“That is all well and good but there is one more thing you must give up for you to continue you quest,” said the master.

“And what is that?” said the seeker.

“You must give up your beliefs about God,” said the master.

“But why? I am trying to find God and you tell me to give up my belief?” said the seeker. He was shocked at the idea.

The master replied, “Your belief, your concept about God is the very thing that is hindering you from seeing him. Every time you say or hear the word ‘God’, it conforms to what you believe God to be. But a God who is contained in your definition about him is not the real God. A God who can reside in the finite space of your mind cannot be the infinite God.”

“Drop all your concepts of God. See reality as it is, unfiltered by the colored lenses of your beliefs. That is the only time true seeking can begin.” concluded the master.

Unmoved

Others are revolted, I am unmoved.

Gripped by desires, I am unmoved.

Hearing the wisdom of sages, I am unmoved.

I move only in my own way.

— Lu Yu

Non-clinging

The master declared,

“The journey of life is thus:

Imagine yourself and everything you possess falling from a very high cliff.

While falling, you reach out and grab hold of the things around you to stop your fall.

But everything around you is also falling.”