The sixth-century Buddhist monk Fuxi wrote:
The empty hand grasps the hoe handle
Walking along, I ride the ox
The ox crosses the wooden bridge
The bridge is flowing, the water is still
(Fuxi, trans. Andy Ferguson “Zen’s Chinese Heritage”)
The phenomena that Fuxi described in his poem are all phenomena of trance; that is to say, they require the induction of a state in which volition in activity is surrendered, to a greater or lesser extent, before they can be observed.
That’s the introduction to a new work entitled Fuxi’s Poem on the site, and any comments or suggestions with regard to the work made here on Zazen Notes will be gratefully received.