Three years ago, I planted asparagus in our garden. Asparagus is a centerpiece of many homesteads because it's nutritious, easy to grow, and it comes back every year. But gardeners must abide by several rules if they want their asparagus patch to feed them year after year. First, the asparagus can't be harvested for the first three years after planting. This allows it to establish a strong root system underneath the soil; one that will keep producing new growth in the fourth year and beyond. Second, weeding the garden bed is of the utmost importance. Asparagus roots grow underground in a tangled mat. If weeds become entangled with the asparagus roots, it becomes difficult to separate the two. Third, every fall it's important to put 3-4 inches of mulch down on the bed prior to the first frost. Asparagus roots are sensitive to cold, and without that added layer of protection they may freeze over winter, impeding future harvests. It was this last rule that kept me occupi
Acceptance is a big deal in Buddhist circles. We're told that we must accept suffering, accept mistreatment, accept the opinions of others. We're told to be like the ocean, which accepts all things and rejects nothing. Much of this thinking is rooted in a slavish dependence on the absolute. This is especially true in Zen circles where the conventional world is painted as less than, and we're told all things are resolved in the unborn mind. This puts practitioners in a tough spot because right and wrong clearly exist. 2+2 = 4, not 5. But if we care too deeply for the truth, if we "have preferences" then that's seen as proof of an unenlightened mind. I struggled with this contradiction for many years, wondering how I was supposed to practice Buddhism without practicing Buddhism. Then I studied the life and teachings of the historical Buddha, putting aside the words of Western "masters", and I noticed something interesting. The Buddha never taught