In Zen we often compare the thoughts in our heads
to clouds in the vast openness of the sky. Clouds
come and go, often in fascinating ways. Sometimes
black clouds run wild in the sky and heavy storms
even tornados, appear. Other times the clouds rise
to lofty heights and shine in dazzling brightness.
Occasionally our thoughts are so wonderful that
they put all the buddhas and bodhisattvas to shame.
The sky embraces any kind of cloud and is never
carried away by the clouds. So put yourself in the
vast openness of the sky. Don’t be tossed away by
thoughts of enlightenment or delusion. To live our
lives fully from moment to moment, we must learn
to settle into the vast openness of the sky. This is Zazen.