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11/4/01 Sunday

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GARY MERRILL
Idiotic compassion ?!

Hi James,

> Thanks for your comment. And yes, one could
say that the Heart
> has no path. Then again one could allow the word
'path' with the
> qualification that there is no path *to* the Heart
and yet there is
> the path *of* the Heart.

Yes I hear what you saying. To talk of a 'path'
assumes a seeker separate
from the path when we could say that there is no such seeker or that the
seeker is the path. Path -etique :-)

Also, equally perversely, the way of the Heart is heartless, not knowing
itself in any such abstract way it remains undivided and not dedicated to
any mental form 'heart' or 'not heart'. Or there is only Heart prior to self
activity.

As you posted the Tao Te Ching calls this Virtue.

I like the Tao metaphor 'Uncarved Block' to indicate this as well.


Your fellow blockhead,
Gary




JERRY KATZ

Harsha wrote:
>
> Bright, clear, and insightful Jerry. You should be charging money for advice
> of this caliber. I would pick you anytime over Dear Abby or Ann Landers. In
> fact, it would be great if you started a Dear Jerry column. You have the
> talent for it. We will support it at HarshaSatsangh.
>
> Love
> Harsha

I'll think about it, Harsha. Right now I'm busy visualizing whirled
peas, which I know all my followers are also doing.

But I'll leave you with a little story. I think it shows something about
what love requires.

I worked in a very busy deli-restaurant in Santa Monica. In those days
in the 70's there was a line all day long of people waiting to be
seated. It was rough and really abusive.

We had a cook who cursed all day long. The f---ing this and the f---ing
that, it was the f word all day long, and his bitterness all day long.
But I gotta tell you, he got those orders up beautifully. He was a
master in that way. And he looked miserable. Short, wiry, no teeth,
ragged big mustache, he was in his early fifties but looked a lot older.
He was miserable and unkempt.

But Manny had a girl friend.

She was in her early 20's. Tall, nice figure and long blazing red hair.
She was very pretty and wore high heels and short dresses. She was on
drugs or something, and you couldn't help but notice it. Eyes half shut,
slurring words, "Gotta see Manny."

When she walked in that restaurant, two things happened.

One, no on stopped her.

She walked in with confidence in those high heels and headed straight to
Manny as though there was no one else around and only business to be
conducted.

And, two, Manny would light up.

He'd smile (though you could tell he was kinda trying not to) and all
the 'f' words would be hushed.

She would march directly to the kitchen and no matter how busy Manny
was, and he was always busy, he put things on hold. She always came in
for money. And Manny dished it out. She'd walk out the same way she
walked in.

The glow and smiles would last for a minute or two, and then it was back
to the f--ing this and the f---ing that.

She eventually got pregnant by Manny, and would come in with the baby,
carrying the child like a second thought, its head not secured properly
but not really unsafely either, and, again, no one stopped her as she
marched to the kitchen.

Sometimes when it wasn't too busy, Manny would hold the baby caringly,
and a waitress or two -- the older ones -- would go back there with him.


jerry



GLORIA LEE
quoting Tao


Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
- Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching

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