Tree

By Teacher Woo Myung

The tree lives its life. 

The tree has no mind that it is living.

The tree is able to live of its own accord

even though it has no sense of self

It just exists as it is in the world

and then leaves one day

without demanding to know why

The tree has no attachments of its own –

only its instincts.

The tree simply lives but does everything it needs to do

The tree has no specific purpose or objective,

but it is able to do its duty

due to the conditions of Nature.

Indeed the tree is a tree, but it is the Whole.

People commonly believe that if we live without human minds, we will lose the purpose of living.

In fact, when one lives without self, demotivation is no longer demotivation.

Nothing is one’s self, so things just as they are, are the utmost vitality.

One’s life, just as it is, is a happy and joyful one.

From “Nature’s Flow”