Ocean
“When we look at the ocean, we see that each wave has a beginning and an end. A wave can be compared with other waves, and we can call it more or less beautiful, higher or lower, longer lasting or less long lasting. But if we look more deeply, we
see that a wave is made of water. While living the life of a wave, the wave also lives the life of water. It would be sad if the wave did not know that it is water. It would think, 'Some day I will have to die. This period of time is my life
span, and when I arrive at the shore, I will return to nonbeing.
These notions will cause the wave fear and anguish. A wave can be recognized by signs -- beginning or ending, high or low, beautiful or ugly. In the world of the wave, the world of relative truth, the wave feels happy as she swells, and she feels
sad as she falls. She may think, 'I am high!' or 'I am low!' and develop superiority or inferiority complexes, but in the world of the water there are no signs, and when the wave touches her true nature -- which is water -- all of her
complexes will cease, and she will transcend birth and death"
It is said that before entering the sea
, a river trembles with fear.
She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mountains,
the long winding road crossing forests and villages. And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter
there seems nothing more than to disappear forever. But there is no other way. The river can not go back.
Nobody can go back. T
o go back is impossible in existence. The river needs to take the risk
of entering the ocean
because only then will fear disappear,
because that’s where the river will know it’s not about disappearing into the ocean,
but of becoming the ocean.