Lochan: Thank you for reading this post and leaving this thoughtful comment. It’s such a paradox–but so true–that grasping for things can be the very thing that makes them elude us. (It’s a hard lesson, totally opposed to how capitalism and individualism are often championed, at least in the USA.) I loved hearing about the scroll and its teaching. Thank you for sharing.

This ichigyomono comes to mind after reading it: 無事是貴人 (Buji-kore-ki’nin). You will find this ichigyomono in hanging scrolls in tea rooms.

Rinzai Gigen (Linji Yixuan) of the Tang Dynasty China who was the founder of the Rinzai sect was totally against the mindless pursuit of “enlightenment,” “Buddha,” “redemption,” and “happiness”. He said that these are things outside of one’s self and are things difficult to attain or find. In other words the harder you seek them, the farther away they become. Once you are free from this desire to seek them, you will be more happy and more “enlightened”. People who achieve this state of freedom and bliss are truly noble persons (貴人).

Giving up that mindless pursuit of certain ways of the tea, you too have attained a certain level of happiness and bliss.

Apology for this long explanation of what I felt after reading this blogpost.