Monday Night Zazen

Shakyamuni Buddha once said:

Should you meet teachers who expound supreme enlightenment, do not inquire into their family pedigree, do not look at their personal appearance, do not despise their shortcomings, do not be concerned with their behavior. Simply, out of respect and esteem for spiritual wisdom, feed such persons daily with hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold, bestow upon them food fit for the gods, make them offerings to meet their needs, and scatter celestial flowers upon them as a reverential offering. Thrice every day—morning, noon, and evening—reverently bow to pay your respects, without letting any feelings of resentment arise in you. When you behave in this way, there will undoubtedly be a way to enlightenment for you. From the time when I first gave rise to the intention to realize Buddhahood, I have trained and practiced in this manner so that today I am realizing supreme enlightenment.

On an unrelated note, the picture above was painted by the (sad to say) late South African artist, DJ, and philosopher Leon Botha. In addition to being one of the world's oldest survivors of progeria, Botha was a painter, video artist, and turntablist performing under the name DJ Solarize. He was once quoted as saying, "I am a spiritual being, the same as you, primarily. Then I'm a human being and this part of the human being is the body, which has a condition."

Bothra died June 5 of complications of his progeria condition at age 26.