A wise meditator is like a cook who skillfully prepares rice for food, while a foolish meditator is like a cook who prepares sand to eat

When people discuss the practice of meditation, they often refer to a person having either a superior, intermediate, or inferior capacity for this task.  However, these capacities are not inborn qualities.  For once a strong motivation has been generated, then a person is immediately endowed with a superior quality.  Nevertheless, there are different levels of motivation.  Some people may leave the care of their parents and relatives and become monks or nuns with the sincere motivation to realize Buddhahood.  But after practicing for while they discover that the aim of meditation is not achieved as easily as cooling hot porridge by pouring cold water on it. 

Such persons may become disheartened when their practice does not proceed as smoothly as they had expected.  However, a person of superior capacity is able to completely cut off the mind of discrimination as soon as he is told to do so.  But for those who are unable to do this, much hardship, effort, and total determination are needed before they can achieve this state.

Your practice should always be guided by wisdom.  An ancient master once said, “A wise meditator is like a cook who skillfully prepares rice for food, while a foolish meditator is like a cook who prepares sand to eat.”  Now, would you ever succeed in making rice by cooking grains of sand?  So let us consider how to pursue our practice in a wise manner.

 Kusan Sunim  (1909-1983) - Excerpted from The Way of Korean

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