Live joyfully on the edge of the forest

“Sit. Rest. Work. Alone with yourself, never weary. On the edge of the forest live joyfully, without desire.”

Iwas struck by these beautiful haiku-like words of the Buddha which have the essence of Zazen and his message of meditation.

These are the complex times in which simple things like sitting on the floor look very difficult. For the mind is agitated, the body disturbed, breathing irregular — how can one sit restfully? Restfulness means suspending all judgmental thinking and letting words, ideas, images, and thoughts pass by without getting involved in them. But rest does not always mean lying down. One of the most restful positions is when your body is perpendicular to the gravity of the earth. It does not need strength to sit in this position.

In Zazen, an inner restfulness is very important.

Buddha’s sutra has three atomic words which appear to be contradictory to each other. But Osho expands them showing how it is important to work after restful sitting for a long time.

And there is again a beautiful touch of the Buddha. “On the edge of the forest, live joyfully…without desire.” Does it mean one has to go to the forest to meditate?

No, Osho says, the forest represents the unknown, the unknowable. Be always close to the unknown and the unknowable and don’t be afraid… live joyfully… because of the unknown, the unknowable is also yours. Live joyfully without desire. And when energy accumulates in you, start being creative.