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blossom -- roses of goodness, roses of beauty, roses of grace, roses of all kinds of blessings for others, for himself.
IN THE OLD DAYS CH'AN MASTER TAO LIN LIVED UP IN A TALL PINE TREE ON CH'IN WANG MOUNTAIN; PEOPLE OF THE TIME CALLED HIM THE "BIRD'S NEST MONK." WHEN MINISTER PO CHU-YI WAS COMMANDER OF CH'IN T'ANG, HE MADE A SPECIAL TRIP TO THE MOUNTAIN TO VISIT HIM.
PO SAID, "IT'S VERY DANGEROUS WHERE YOU'RE SITTING, CH'AN MASTER."
THE MASTER SAID, "MY DANGER MAY BE VERY GREAT, MINISTER, BUT YOURS IS EVEN GREATER."
PO SAID, "I AM COMMANDER OF CH'IEN T'ANG: WHAT DANGER IS THERE?"
THE MASTER SAID, "FUEL AND FIRE ARE JOINED, CONSCIOUSNESS AND IDENTITY DO NOT STAY: HOW CAN YOU NOT BE IN DANGER?"
What he is saying is tremendously significant. He is saying, "I am sitting in a bird's nest in a pine tree. It is obvious that there is danger of falling, but are you aware that if you fall from your position you will be in a far greater danger? And your fall is possible any moment. You are commander-in-chief, the enemy is not far away. You and your enemy are just like fuel and fire joined. Just close by is fire, very near to it is fuel; they can join any moment. Any moment there can be an explosion. You are sitting on a volcano.
"I am certainly in danger if I fall -- perhaps I may break a few of my bones. But it is not much of a danger. Your danger is far greater. Consciousness and identity do not stay. Your consciousness is so small; that is the greatest danger in the world, because any moment you can slip into unconsciousness. Then in unconsciousness whatever you do is going to harm you. My consciousness is absolute. I can sit in a bird's nest in this tall pine tree; I know I will not fall, because I am alert. Even when I am asleep, I am alert."
Once Ananda had asked Gautam Buddha... he used to sleep in the same room, to take care of anything Buddha needs in the night if he suddenly feels sick. Buddha was fragile, he was old, and he was working so hard, walking continually, till his very last breath. Gautam Buddha used to sleep in the posture which is called the Lion's posture, because it is just the way the lion sleeps.
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