The Way to Navigate the World

The Grand Academician Huang Shan Gu once heard that Chan Master Zuxin was always calm, unruffled, and completely at ease no matter the situation. So he traveled to visit the master in person to ask for his guidance on this so-called “way to navigate the world.” That afternoon, they strolled along a hillside path lined with all kinds of flowers in full bloom, their sweet fragrance hanging soft in the air. The master asked the scholar if he could smell the flowers’ scent. Huang Shan Gu looked over at the jasmine and lilies blooming on either side of the path, nodded, and said with a smile, “They smell absolutely lovely!” The master smiled and said, “I haven’t been hiding a thing from you, you know.” Huang Shan Gu finally understood what the master meant. Only when you let go of worldly attachments and worries can you truly breathe in the rich, sweet scent of the flowers, and experience the simple, unadorned nature of life as it really is.