OSHO

FIRST THINGS FIRST: HAVE A CUP OF TEA!

A Zen Story:

Joshu, the Zen master, asked a new monk in the monastery, 'Have I seen you before?'

The new monk replied, 'No sir.'

Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'

Joshu then turned to another monk, 'Have I seen you here before?

The second monk said, 'Yes sir, of course you have.'

Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'

Later the managing monk of the monastery asked Joshu, 'How is it you make the same offer of tea to any reply?'

At this Joshu shouted, 'Manager, are you still here?'

The manager replied, 'Of course, Master.'

Joshu said, 'Then have a cup of tea.'

The story is simple, but difficult to understand. It is always so. The more simple a thing the more difficult it is to understand. To understand, something complex is needed; to understand, you have to divide and analyze. A simple thing cannot be divided and analyzed-there is nothing to divide and analyze; the thing is so simple. The simplest always escapes understanding; that is why god cannot be understood. God is the simplest thing, absolutely the simplest thing possible. The world can be understood; it is very complex. The more complex a thing is, the more the mind can work on it. When it is simple there is nothing to grind against, the mind cannot work.

Osho, A Bird on the Wing, Talk #4

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