The Rose of Absolute Freedom

This monday started grey and ended grey. Barely a spark of sun broke through. Some drizzle. A wind was flaring up just as I a was sweeping together dusty leaf litter and weeds outside on the hill road. This was working monday. All day for me, some hours for the others. I want to finish my part by tomorrow evening. So you could find me on the steep driveway, bowing, bending, on my knees, or sitting. Scratching and scraping the mossy grasses and weeds from the joints between the driveway stones. Willemien had done that cleaning already some time ago and due to the rainfall the stony driveway had grown a green summer beard with heavy whiskers.

In the afternoon, while still on my steep shaving job, Willemien brought me a cup of tea. “Hello Monk,” she said, here’s your tea. Are you doing fine in your exercise?” I smiled back. She still has her index-finger splinted. Always pointing in any direction without intention. Of course she is not like Zen Master Gutei, raising a finger, as he was questioned. She is pointing without any question is risen. But I was reminded to that old Gutei-Koan, while I was sitting on the driveway, sipping my tea. By the way, I was dressed in my old red overall full of paint stains. Monks usually do not wear overalls, but indeed I did my best to do the breathing well, keep the balance, not to bend to heavily, so it was a bit of an exercise. There on that green bearded driveway under our Guardian Oaktree.

Last Friday in my Journal I referred to a Zen-Koan “The Oaktree in the Front Garden”. I will not go in to this Koan. As there is nothing to explain or understand on the level of words and objects here. In some Zen-Koan-texts you will not read about an “Oaktree”, but about a “Cypress” or even some other kind of tree, or Non-tree. Like the the raising finger of Master Gutei is a Non-finger. You may look right through it and see that Rose-flower. A Rose, held up by the Enlightened. A Rose that is equally Holding me, participating in this Universe. This is the Non-Rose of Absolute freedom, spreading Perfumes of Compassionate Love. You say, that is nonsense? You can’t smell it? Of course! But you can work on opening and sharpening your senses. Just by doing any kind of exercise in mindfulness. Like Shaving the Driveway.