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The Zen Master Hakuin (1685-1768) was praised by his neighbors for living a pure life. A beautiful Japanese girl, whose parents owned a food store, lived near Hakuin. Her parents discovered the girl was pregnant. The parents got very angry, but she would not divulge the name of the father. After her parents harassed her harshly, she named Hakuin as the father. In rage the parents went to see the Master. They accused Hakuin of being the father. All Hakuin replied was, "Is that so?"
After the child was born, it was brought to Hakuin. By this time the Master had lost his reputation, but this did not bother him at all. He took very good care of the child, as though it were his own, and got milk from the neighbors and all else the child needed for sustenance.
A year later the mother of the child could bear her guilt no more. She told her parents the truth—a young man, who worked at the fish market, was the father.
The mother and father at once went to the Master to ask forgiveness, to apologize with many words, and to get the child back. Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was, "Is that so?"
Life is much like the surface of the Sea—constantly changing. Circumstances are often beyond our control and unpredictable. Yet, our response to life is most often a matter of choice.
A healthy response to the flux of life is aided by certitude of who one truly is—experiential knowledge of Essence, or Essential Identity. Circumstances do not define a person; however, character is shaped by response to circumstances. Still that character is not who one is—not Essence, not Essential Identity, not God-image. Character is a behavioral matter; Essence is an underlying Identity. Character alone is not the causation of anguish in life; character in dissonance with Essence brings this suffering.
We can look at the details of our lives: relationships, job, financial status, family history, religion, education, house we live in, vehicle we drive, … Yet, these details do not define who we are. The spiritual path and its Work is concerned with the relationship between God and identity, an identity rooted in the True Self, our God Essence, our spirit, in contrast to the personality that is shaped by social context, genetics, and nurture.
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To be being born again means the dismantling of all identification with aspects of personality to see ourselves as we are seen in God and by God. As we move closer and closer to Wisdom, through dissolving of identification with personality, we are able more and more to respond properly, maturely, and Christ-like to the situations and persons we face daily.
This being born again daily includes the daily renewal through the Holy Spirit, as an extension of the ministry of Jesus Christ. This renewal dissolves the separatist barriers and lifts us from communities based on personalities to community based on Oneness in Love. Living from this True Self, we can, like Hakuin, live graciously:
9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
—Colossians 3.9-11 (ESV)
Reflections
What encouraged you in the writing today? Explain.
Did you disagree with something in the writing today? If so, explain.
How do you think you would respond in a situation like the one Hakuin was placed in?
Was Hakuin responding in a Christlike way? Explain.
Have you ever accepted graciously mistreatment or misrepresentation?
Spiritual Exercise
Meditate and pray about Colossians 3.9-11.
Make sure you have a sacred space in your home for time alone in prayer and spiritual reading.
Make sure you are in a covenant group. For more information on covenant groups, write me at the address below.
Consider, if you are not already, sponsoring a child through Compassion International. You can find out more about Compassion International by going to www.compassion.net to read about sponsoring, in the name of Jesus, children living in poverty. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
Brian’s book An Ache For Union can be purchased at major book dealers.
To contact Brian, write briankwilcox@comcast.net .
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