"You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, the only way, it does not exist." -- Friedrich Nietzhe
There was once a rich man who entrusted his property to three of his servants. The first one he gave 5 talents, the second one 3 talents, and the third one, 1 talent. The first one with 5 talents went trading and was able to make 5 talents more. The second one also traded and was able to make 3 talents more. The third one dug a hole in the ground and buried his one talent so it wouldn't be lost. When the master came home, he asked the three servants what they did with the talents he gave them. He was elated with the first 2 servants who were able to double the talents given to them but was greatly disappointed with the third one for not making good use of the 1 talent given to him. The third servant was vanished and even what he had was taken away from him. The first two were rewarded and told that they who have more will be given more.
Zen on the other hand is explained in a different way - " He who do not know cannot tell but he who knows do not tell." Its a paragon that describes a man's understanding that there is no conclusive way of defining the realities in life. Its like describing the taste of sugar to a 4 year old child. No amount of words can explain to him exactly how it feels. He must experience it. Given the kind of experience, it then becomes his burden to be able to explain it to the next child, and so forth. In our very own life, we too will have the desire to explain how we were able to go about some of its most interesting facets. However, we will forever be burdened with explaining to them how to do things better so as not for them to commit the same mistakes we've made.
The parable of the talents ... where does Zen come into the picture ? Its about experiencing how screwed up you went about wasting some good opportunities and have everything you've worked for taken away from you. You wanted to explain to everyone you know, especially those with whom you have close ties, but unable to do so. Most of them doesn't even want to listen, and those who do listen cannot understand how one so blessed with talents could fuck up things so bad, when a lot of good things are within arms reach for the taking. Life to some have become like travelling on the highway with a conked out sedan while every else are riding Benz and Limos and kept honking their horns since they are impending their path. Their faith in God will keep them from falling apart, get the courage and the strength to move on, and pick up the pace and try to continue the voyage. Zen, then allows you to navigate your way on your own "feeling" way, taking time to park at some places where you can admire and smell the flowers, smell the clean air, and dream a little, armed with the knowledge that all of us are bound for the same place, but able to touch more life as we go by.
Truly, those who made more from the talents given to them deserved more, but as long as life breaths inside you, you still have a chance. It is never wrong to be rich and famous, and powerful, as long as you earned them the righteous way - its how you about your wealth that make right things wrong. So as is being poor a more blessed path to salvation - its also about how you became poor and stayed poor through all your life. Maybe we can console our self with the saying that "money is not the key to happiness" but it is also true that with more many, you can afford to buy more keys. Religion can teach a man to become spiritual, but being religious is a lot different from being spiritual. Zen leads us to different path of enlightenment. Religion and Zen may never cross path but both agrees that life is good, and every man must do good for it is the payment or lease we have to pay for the space we occupy in this world.
Jesus said "Love one another as I have loved you". The Golden Rule states that we should not do unto others what we do not want to be done unto us. Every day, when the sun shines, we have an opportunity to do good, even when nobody notices, do good anyway, for Someone is always watching. Zen just adds color to these things, we "feel" the feeling of doing these things.
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