Buddha and the American

Perhaps you have heard the old joke: 

The American Businessman meets the Buddha and after cordial greetings.  The American says “Come on, don’t just sit there!  Do something!

The Buddha looks at him calmly and says, “Don’t just do something, Sir.  Sit there.”

As a Martial Artist and a Businessman, when I first read this I laughed and laughed.  It touched both sides of me so completely.  We all need to sit, to meditate, to contemplate.  Whether we do it in a formal meditative posture, or whether we do it with a long walk in the park, we all need to contemplate and clear our minds.

The flip side:  We all need to take action.  Many times we need to “Do-It-Now!”  Much of the Zen approach to meditation was designed to teach the swordsman to be in the moment; to let nothing, nothing at all,  interfere with the action of the moment. 

 Lesson:  Live in the moment.  If it is time for stillness, be still.  If it is time for action, do it now.  Don’t wait.

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