The Real Way is not Difficult

Joshu addressed an assembly of monks: “The Real Way" is not difficult, but it dislikes the Relative. If there is but little speech, it is about the Relative or it is about the Absolute. This old monk is not within the Absolute. Do you value that or not?” A monk said to him, if you are not within the Absolute how can you judge its value?” Joshu said, “Neither do I know that.” The monk argued, “Your Reverence, if you do not yet know, how is it that you say you are not within the Absolute?” Kosar said, “Your questioning is effective. Finish your worship and leave.”

COMMENT: Everyone has Buddha-nature —pure, original, and true. Everyone has intrinsic value and beauty. Rose, lily, tree, or stone, each should be as it is. If you are short, be short. If you are tall, be tall. Nothing is wrong. “The Real Way" is not difficult, but it dislikes the Relative.” If one compares, relatively, then good and bad, beautiful and ugly, tall and short, right and wrong arise, creating difficulty. Even a little talk about relative or absolute and, like the monk, one is not within the Absolute. The Real Way is not difficult because it is the only Way. It is the Absolute Way. Pretensions are difficult because one has to make them up. The True Way is not difficult because it is.