“Then he paused for a second and he said, ‘Yeah, but sometimes I think it’s just like an on-off switch. Click and you’re gone,’” Isaacson said.

“He paused again, and he said: And that’s why I don’t like putting on-off switches on Apple devices.”

Our master’s method of instruction was entirely different from that of ordinary instructors of learning. He would not explain any problem to the learner, but simply help him to get enlightened by putting him an abrupt but telling question. Shang Kwang, for instance, said to Bodhidharma, perhaps with a sigh: “I have no peace of mind. Might I ask you, sir, to pacify my mind?” “Bring out your mind (that troubles you so much),” replied the master, “here before me! I shall pacify it.” “It is impossible for me,” said the disciple, after a little consideration, “to seek out my mind (that troubles me so much).” “Then,” exclaimed Bodhidharma, “I have pacified your mind.” Hereon Shang Kwang was instantly Enlightened.

ZAZEN MEDITATION GUIDE - Chapter 2. Purposes in Zazen

In case you really think you are an awakened one, test yourself with these questions:

Master Yueh of Toushuai set up three barriers to question students:

Crossing rivers and passing through mountains to learn and search out the hidden, is only for seeing into the own-nature. Right now, where is your own nature?

Only when you know your own-nature then you can be freed from birth and death. When you are dying„ how will you be free?

When you are freed from birth and death, then you will know where you are from and going to. When the four elements [which composed your body] disintegrate, where do you go?

Your answers should come out directly and spontaneously from your kensho and need the approval of a real Zen teacher. If not so, you need to put yourself into zazen practice until you are able to do so. Sit yourself like the Buddha did for six years long in the forests and 49 days and nights under the Sala tree at Bodh-gaya. Sit yourself like Bodhidharma did facing to the blue rock-wall for nine years long at the Shao-lin Monastery in Sung-shan Mountain in China.

Then Allen said, “l’ve discovered a way to have a lot more time. In the past, I used to look at my time as if it were divided into several parts. One part I reserved for Joey, another part was for Sue, another part to help with Ana, another part for household work. The time left over I considered my own. I could read, write, do research, go for walks. “But now I try not to divide time into parts anymore. I consider my time with Joey and Sue as my own time. When I help Joey with his homework, I try to find ways of seeing his time as my own time. I go through his lesson with him, sharing his presence and finding ways to be interested in what we do during that time. The time for him becomes my own time. The same with Sue. The remarkable thing is that now I have unlimited time for myself!

Death is a test of one’s maturity. Everyone has got to get through it on their own. I want very much to die. I want to become part of that vast extraordinary light. But dying is hard work. Death is in control of the process, I cannot influence its course. All I can do is wait. I was given my life, I had to live it, and now I am giving it back