I know almost nothing about Zen. I’ve never studied it and have payed very little attention to it. However, there is a Zen “koan” from “The Book of Serenity” that I have heard and taken a liking too. Here it is:
A monk asked Zhaozhou, “I have just entered the monastery: please give me some guidance.”
Zhaozhou said, “Have you had breakfast yet?”
The monk said, “Yes I have eaten.”
Zhaozhou continues, “Then go wash your bowl.”
Apparently Zhaozhou was a teacher of Zen known for his simple yet deep instructions. He speaks in a language that is direct and rooted in everyday life. I think this is the reason why his teaching here has recently stuck with me.
Sometimes after i finish eating my breakfast, I place my bowl in the sink rather than washing it out. Unfortunately, I am actually pretty bad at this specific teaching. However, the instruction of washing your bowl after eating from it is a concept that can be applied to much more than just bowls and breakfast. I think of life as a series of consecutive moments, each setting the groundwork for the moment that should follow it. There is the past moment, the present moment, and the moment next to come. The past moment has no real significance, as it has already happened and cannot influence anything further than the presently occuring moment that it has laid the groundwork for. The present moment is what is currently being done, and is where our energy should be directed. Once the present moment is completed, it is moved to the past moment, and our energy is shifted onto the moment next in line. Eating breakfast was the present moment, but when finished, washing the bowl shifted to the present. Life is a series of eating breakfasts and washing bowls. Moments pass, and moments next in line take their place. Live presently by always doing the next most reasonable thing. When clothes are dirty, put them in the hamper. When the hamper is full, put it in the wash. When the wash is complete, fold the clothes. When the clothes are folded, put them back into the dresser. These are not chores, but rather sequential moments to be carried out with mindfulness. Let go of classifying the difficult things in life as chores, and reclassify them as moments. Live in the present moment and let the next moment in line naturally take its place. Don’t hold onto past moments and always be ready for what the next moment has to offer.
We own our lives and all the moments that fall within them. It is our personal responsibility to wash our bowl after breakfast is complete. It is our bowl, we must take care of it. We’re responsible for taking care of all of the moments that fall within the scope of our lives. While, like me, you may not want to wash out your bowl after eating from it, it is your responsibility to do so. Thus is life. More importantly, embrace that “thus is life” and learn to appreciate it. While I sometimes do struggle to wash out my bowl right away, I am mindful that this is a moment that I’ll need to be present with soon. Putting away my laundry, packing my lunch before bed, rising from bed after my first alarm, and preparing a home cooked meal are just a few of the moments in my life that come much easier to me than washing my bowl. I respect them as moments that need to happen, and I look forward to the next moments that follow them when they are complete.
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