A monk asked Master Haryo, "What is the
way?"
Haryo said, "An open-eyed man falling into the well."
(Koan)
First reaction
How does falling into the well answer the question?
Exploration
What is the way? What way? Tao?
Path, route, road, being, nature, character?
Can the question be answered verbally?
Is there a conceptual answer?
Can tao be articulated or explained?
Why would anyone fall into a well?
Does falling suggest
an accident, no control?
What does the well represent? The unknown? A bottomless pit?
Possible meaning
The well symbolises the unknown.
Falling represents the realisation that we have no control over what will
happen.
Since our eyes are open, we cannot ignore the unknown by pretending.
We are aware and we can make choices relative to what occurs.
Our journey through life and any new incident or occurrence in life involves
this very same process.
People like to pretend that they can see ahead and know what is going to happen,
but they do not.
Denying reality is foolish. Any one of us could die tomorrow. Accept it.
Whether we choose to step into the unknown or not, we have taken that step.
There was no choice.
It is the nature of our existence.
Trying to come to terms with our existence and codify it is fruitless.
The experience is too immense and changeable to be held or fixed in place or
rationalised.
No matter what illusions you cling to, you are falling too.
Surrender to the experience and you will be free of your suffering.
This is what it means to live.
Page created 19 May 2005