Low Hanging Fruit

Low Hanging Fruit

Great master, teach us moral rules so we can be high up in the clouds like you.

My friend, do you know why clouds are so high?

No teacher. Why?

Because they have little substance. You are always the intelligent one do you know what that means?

Teacher are you saying you are so wise because you are foolish? How can someone so high be so low?

Have you seen the tree outside?

Yes teacher. The fruit is delicious!

Did you climb up the tree to pick the fruits high up?

No, teacher I went for the low hanging fruit.

Yes, all living things will find the Way that requires the least effort in the end. What if all the low hanging fruit is gone?

Then I will climb the tree.

Yes. The tree is wise to bear both low and high hanging fruit.

Why would the tree do that it would get eaten!

Getting eaten is why the tree bears fruit at all. Zen is in eating the fruits low down, Zen is in eating the fruits high up, and Zen is in getting all fruits eaten.

So everything is Zen!

Yes. Both the moral and the immoral are Zen. Both the wise and the foolish are Zen. But the moment you are conscious of Zen, Zen is no longer there.

But teacher if that is so how can we ever be wise?

Go on eating the low hanging fruit. When the fruit is gone, the tree will teach you what you need to learn.