Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We have talked about having a major goal in each period of our life, and persistently aiming at that goal to move forward until we reach the goal. Then setting a new goal for the next period. Most of the time, we work more effectively if we have a clear goal to pursuit.

However, if you are so hung up about your goal, you will become attached to it, with all the harmful effects of attachment. For example, you have a goal of having your own house before the age of 30. And you really focus on making money to fulfill that goal, to the degree that you are willing to join a corruption gang to do bribery deals, to make quick money. That is attachment with potential jail sentences.

So, have your goal and focus on reaching goal. However, on the journey toward the goal, if you meet some situation that makes you feel you should change or delay your plan for some good reason, follow your wise heart and make the change for the better.

Please read the following Publishing the Sutra in 101 Zen Stories to know the relationship between goal and non-attachment.

Publishing the Sutras

Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking.

Tetsugen began by traveling and collecting donations for this purpose. A few sympathizers would give him a hundred pieces of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins. He thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.

It happened that at that time the Uji River overflowed. Famine followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books and spent them to save others from starvation. Then he began again his work of collecting.

Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country. Tetsugen again gave away what he had collected, to help his people.

For a third time he started his work, and after twenty years his wish was fulfilled. The printing blocks which produced the first edition of sutras can be seen today in the Obaku monastery in Kyoto.

The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sets of sutras, and that the first two invisible sets surpass even the last.

Wish everyone know when to change plan.

With compassion,

Hoành

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Trần Đình Hoành
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