Clarity

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.--Matthew 19:14

With no ego, the human child looks at the world with the bright eyes of innocence.

To regain this clear vision is the purpose of Zen practice.

Savage Heart

The heart of a Prophet is savage for he cannot patiently endure an unjust social system.

When challenging those in power, Christ was neither meek nor fearful. He denounced the hypocritical Pharisees, attacked the money-changers, and threatened to destroy the temple. He had a tongue of fire.

It is interesting to note that after the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit they were portrayed as having tongues of fire burning brightly above their heads.

Zen Master

Practitioners of Zen study how to act without fear.

Christ, then, was a true Zen Master. He did not seek physical security and He did not fear death.

Unfortunately, much of what Christ taught has been lost to history. What we do know is that when He reprimands his disciples in the Gospels, He basically accuses them of cowardice.

From this observation, it is easy to deduce that what Christ essentially taught his followers was how to be fearless.

So pay no attention to the pious mumbo-jumbo of the preachers and ministers who claim to understand the central message of Christ. Study how to act without fear.