There was a Japanese man who wanted to learn the famous national martial art of kendo. The man visited a sword master and wanted to become his student. But the master didn’t want to accept him; so he begged the master sincerely, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t teach me. Please let me stay, and I will sweep the floor, wash the toilet, cook, sew and polish your shoes for you. I look up to you very much. Teach me when you want to, and if you don’t want to, it’s okay. I won’t ask for too much!” Therefore, the master let him stay.

The man lived there for a period of time, and the sword master didn’t teach him anything, but told him to do the daily household chores, which were boring. After some time, in spite of what he was doing, be it cooking, washing, cleaning during the daytime, or even sleeping at night, the master would suddenly appear howling, with sword in hand, ready to duel with him. So the man had to be on constant alert. Even when he was cooking or cleaning the toilet, he had to be on the lookout. (Laughter)

That’s what it’s like when you “train” me. I have to be ready at all times. (Master laughs.) When I go to the bathroom, I have to check if there are any cameras around, or if there are any disciples nearby. I am so “tense” that it makes me be in “Zen” for twenty-four hours! (Laughter) I couldn’t bear it before, but now I’m getting used to it. Sometimes it happens to you as well, like when I come to see you without informing you. So you have the expectation all the time. You might see me around the stairway or when you’re eating. Then we will always miss each other! (Master and audience laugh.) Because I’m constantly afraid of being seen by you, and you expect me to appear suddenly, we are ready to communicate at any time. That’s nice! (Master and audience laugh and audience applauds.)

Now let’s go back to the sword master. In the end, the disciple became a very famous sword master. His success came from the special teaching method of his master, and not from the common kind that begins at 7 A.M. and ends at 9 P.M. and everything is taught in a common way. The master used an uncommon method. He often attacked the disciple when the disciple was not prepared, like when he was cooking, bathing or sleeping at night. So the disciple had to be on constant alert, and later he became a very good and famous kendo master!

It is the same with our spiritual practice. We have to be prepared at all times. We should not say, “Well, I’m happy now and I want to hang around here and do nothing.” This is an ephemeral world. We have to be ready to handle any sudden situation. Why is this world ephemeral? It is for us to learn the spirit of preparedness, and to learn to be cautious at all times. This world is neither good nor bad. It just depends on how we make use of situations, and learn the lessons that are good for us. We have to always be learning. We should be in Zen twenty-four hours a day.