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Freely I Watch the Tracks of the Flying Birds (MK23b)

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KOAN:

Freely I watch the tracks of the flying birds.

—PZI Miscellaneous Koans, Case 23b

From Crossing the Brook:

a. Slowly I cross a brook and extinguish its sound.
b. My lazy gaze follows the tracks of the flying birds.

—PZI MK Case 23: Xuedou’s verse following Yunmen’s Good Day koan, Blue Cliff Record Case 6

Video May 3, 2023

Watching the Tracks of the Flying Birds

John Tarrant

Koans
Freely I Watch the Tracks of the Flying Birds (MK23b), Legend of Yellow Crane Pavilion
Tags
birds, flight, Great Fish Kun, hospital, illness, painted crane, Sunday Talks, unexpected gifts, Yellow Crane Pavilion, Zhuangzi
Category
Video

John remarks on being freed from the hospital after a brush with Covid and more, and feeling our ties to the birds, symbolizing freedom through their ability to take off at will. Also: The legend of the painter who disappeared on the back of a painted crane, and the Zhuangzi’s fish named Kuhn who becomes a bird. Recorded April 23, 2023

73' 5"