272. WALKING THE WAY
“To walk the Middle Way is to say a big ‘yes’ to life, to the good as well as the bad, to good fortune as well as ill. It is to walk right down the middle, facing up to suffering and all, without avoiding anything that life brings or being carried away by success or failure, praise or blame, suffering or pleasure.”
THE MIDDLE WAY
(JOURNAL OF THE BUDDHIST SOCIETY)
273. GOLDEN MEAN
“The moral and philosophical system expounded by the Buddha demands no blind faith from its adherents, expounds no dogmatic creeds, encourages no superstitions, rites or ceremonies but advocates a golden mean that guides a disciple through pure thinking and deliverance from evil.”
NARADA THERA (1898–1983), SRI LANKA
274. FOLLOW THE RADIANCE
“When there is neither hate nor lust, the Great Way shines forth in full radiance. If you want to behold it, cease from having opinions about it.”
SOSAN (DIED 606), CHINA, THE THIRD ZEN PATRIARCH
275. THE ESSENCE OF THE WAY
“Nothing in excess.”
SOLON (638–558BCE), GREECE
276. THE ELEPHANT
Appearing frequently in both Northern and Southern traditions, the elephant is said to represent strength of mind, noble gentleness, calm majesty, boundless power, miraculous aspiration, analysis, intention, and effort. The path of the bodhisattva has been compared to an elephant crossing a river. Neither swimming on the surface nor being swept downstream, the elephant crosses the middle of the river in a straight line, with its feet on the ground. Unmoved by the current, it calmly completes its crossing. This image symbolizes the might and majesty of the Middle Way.
277. FIRE-PROOF
“Those who follow the Way are like straw which must be preserved from fire. A follower of the Way who experiences desire must put a distance between himself and the object of that desire.”
THE BUDDHA (THE SUTRA OF 42 SECTIONS)