December 16
Practise saying to every harsh impression: You are an impression — and not at all what you appear to be.
Enchiridion, 1
The Way Home
Practise saying to every harsh impression: You are an impression — and not at all what you appear to be.
A monk had heard that old cats could turn into man-eating creatures. Late one evening he was coming home from a poetry gathering. By the stream, something leapt at his neck. His legs gave way, he fell into the water and screamed that a nekomata had seized him.
Neighbours came with torches and pulled him out. The scroll and the little box he had won with his poems were soaked through. He crawled home as though he had only just escaped with his life.
His own dog had recognised him and jumped up at him in greeting.
