The seven stages of the Zen path
First stage
Find the way
Behind the stove, we happy people are cozy and elegant. In our happiness, this thought arises: „I hope it always stays this cozy!“
We lucky ones slide back and forth on our pillow. Although we are blessed with such happiness, questions arise within us: „How can I keep this comfort forever? How can I protect my loved ones from old age, illness and death? What will happen if I fall ill myself? What will it be like when I get old? Will I have to die too?“
The embers in the oven are warming - but it's dusty; the questions take your breath away. The warmth makes us happy people uncomfortable. We long for space and answers. We have read that there are still songs to be sung beyond human beings. But what is a human being? Who am I? And what is the meaning of life?
There must be something other than this place behind the stove. „I can't be stuck here! I have to set off and search.“
Second stage
Finding the way
We lucky ones start looking. We spread out hiking guides and topographical maps on the study table. „Bible“ is written on one book, „Koran“, „Talmud“, „Sutra“, „Veda“, „Kanjur“ and „Daodejing“ on others. „I want to go high, I want to know everything...‘ we think, “...and quickly! A mountain tour will give me the best view.“
There are 84,000 ways to the summit, we read. „Which path should I take?“ we ask ourselves. We think about it, both during the day and in our dreams.
Some of the paths described are long, some are short. Many do not lead to the summit.
The path over the eastern flank is steep but direct, we seekers find in the books - and it brings the hiker to the highest height: the end of suffering. This path is called the „Buddha path“; its method is the eightfold path. There is a fork in the path, the Zen path, beyond thinking and non-thinking.
„I want to follow this path,“ we say to ourselves and prepare to set off.
Third stage
Follow the path
We have packed water bottles, sausages and a thick crust of bread in our rucksack, as well as a compass, maps and warm socks. We shoulder the rucksack and find the start of the hiking trail.
We confidently follow the signposts. The first few kilometers climb gently. The ground is firm, the path seems wide. But soon a fork leaves us in doubt. No markings, no cairns to help us along. We meet no one we could ask for directions. Meditation, breath counting, mantras or sutras? Turn back or carry on? We choose the left fork. A stone causes us to stumble; we catch ourselves as we fall, narrowly avoiding the thistles. We look upwards, over the low pine trees: the summit shows us the way. We bravely continue, past deep drops and an aggressive ram.
But we lose our courage at a crossroads. Where is the right path? A lone hiker comes to the rescue: „Are you lost?“ he asks. „Come on, I'll take you to the path that leads to the summit without a detour, I'm a mountain guide, I know my way around here“.
We trust people and follow the path they show us.
Fourth stage
Reach the summit
We hikers have reached the summit. The view is breathtaking - we know we are close to heaven. We hear no questions: only the summit is real - and everything is an answer. This must be the great liberation. We don't want to leave!
Fifth stage
Daring the descent
Hunger sets in, a snack will do you good. What are our loved ones doing down in the valley? We can't reach them, they can't reach us. On the summit, we are separated from the world of everyday life.
A strong wind rises and the evening is on the eastern horizon.
If we miss the right time to descend, we will be lost to death up here.
We know the statistics: the greatest danger for hikers is the descent. The deepest falls happen on the way back.
Sixth stage
Arriving on the plain
We are lucky and meet the mountain guide from the morning again. He accompanies us on his way back to the start of the trail, where we had entered the mountain. Back on the plain, we look wistfully at the vast expanse. It is within us, we are the vastness - and yet we are hungry, our provisions have been used up.
We feel it ourselves - and the mountain guide has confirmed it: we have brought the eyes of the Buddhas and their supernatural powers with us from our hike. We breathe their breath and let it flow out. Everything we encounter is our life and bears the seal of our living experience.
We have forgotten exactly where our car is parked.
Seventh stage
Return to the marketplace
We find our car again in the parking lot. We have thrown the garbage into the bins. Other hikers start their car engines, headlights move away towards the town. Tired, we fall into our car seats, happy from the day. We look forward to telling those back home about our experiences and sharing the highs and lows with them. We stop at a supermarket and buy spaghetti, cream and ham. We choose carefully for a good dinner.
