My Heart Burns

Soyen Shaku (释宗演, Shì Zōngyǎn), one of the first Chan teachers to come to America.

A new student asked him: "What should we look to each day in order to live like the Awakened?"

The master replied: "My heart burns like fire, yet my eyes are as cold as dead ashes."

And he continued: "Now I give you the rules I myself follow each day:"

• In the morning, before you dress, light incense and meditate.

• Go to bed early. Take your meals at regular intervals.

• Eat with moderation and never until full.

• Welcome a guest with the same attitude you maintain when alone.

• When you are alone, behave as if you were receiving guests.

• Be mindful of what you say, and live according to your words.

• When a favorable opportunity arises, do not let it pass – but always reflect thoroughly before you act.

• Do not regret the past. Look to the future.

• Have the fearless posture of a hero and the loving heart of a child.

• When it comes to going to bed, sleep as if it were your last sleep.

• When it comes to waking, leave your bed as swiftly as if you were discarding an old pair of shoes.