PZI Teacher Archives
Baling's Falling into a Well (MK74b)
KOAN:
What is the way?
The clearly enlightened person falls into a well.
—PZI Miscellaneous Koans, Case 74b
Note: Second of Baling Haojian’s Three Barriers, PZI MK Case 74
The Ear Bug
David’s dharma talk during Bare Bones retreat about falling down a well. “How does the fully enlightened person fall into a well?” The koan brought to mind an old Maquire sisters song that goes, “Wella, Wella, Wella waiting for the Bella to go ding dong, ding dong…” We all fall into our own personal wells of suffering. David lends a hand to pull us out by sharing his own well stories.
How Does a Fully Enlightened Person Fall into the Well?
On the second day of retreat, John Tarrant talks about the second koan of the triptych, “How does an enlightened person fall into a well?” How do we as practitioners handle major issues in our lives which cause us to fall into darkness or depression? When things are bleak or difficult, the opportunity is to turn toward our practice and the teachings or our community. January 21, 2013.