Dogen Zenji said in his Instructions for a Cook, “Something which should be put in a higher place, should be put in a higher place. Something which should be a lower place, should be a lower place.” Everything has its own function and virtue. So, we should treat them according to their virtue. Only when we treat them according to their virtue, everything will have the same value. Because water cannot be exchanged for fire, fire has its own virtue and water has its own virtue. So, water should be in the kettle, and fire should be under the kettle. If everything is in its own place, everything has the same value, he says. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.
