Do Your Job

“Do your job” is a good expression. Yes, it really is; if we do our job or take responsibility for our duty, we will not get any problem in life, either at work or at home. Responsibility is one of the Buddhist principles. The Buddha always encouraged the world to take responsibility for their family, duties, jobs etc. It is said that those, who want to learn Buddhism, just take responsibility for their life. They are already Buddhist; they have no need to convert or do anything. There is the Zen story, which is explained about responsibility. Here is the story:

There was a doctor, named Kusuda, who happened to see his friend who once studied together at University. Then his friend was a Zen student. Kusuda asked him, “What is Zen?” “Friend, I cannot tell you what Zen is”, he answered, “One thing I can tell you is if you understand Zen, you will not fear death”. Kusuda said, “Well! It is good. I want to try that. Can you recommend me a good Zen master?” He said, “Yes, Master Nan-in is good. You can study under him”.

One day Kusuda, with a sword, went to see Master Nan-in with intention to try him if he was afraid of death or not. When he entered the gate of the temple, he was greeted by Master Nan-in, “Hello doctor, long time no see, how are you?” “Have we met before?”, Kusuda asked surprisingly. Master Nan-in said, “Sorry, I think you are the doctor who usually comes to my class”. With surprised question, Kusuda forgot to try the master and had no chance to do so. Then he asked the master to teach him Zen. Master Nan-in said, “Zen is easy; you are a doctor, then you just do your job, treat your patients with loving-kindness and compassion. That is Zen”.

Kusuda went to see Master Nan-in a few times. Each time, he was taught by Master Nan-in the same lesson, “Zen is easy; you are a doctor, then you just do your job, treat your patients with loving-kindness and compassion. That is Zen”. Last time he visited Master Nan-in, he was told, “Doctor, don’t waste your time here, go treat your patients”. He did not understand how Zen braved the death. He came back again with doubt and asked Master Nan-in, “My friend said that if I understand Zen, I will not fear death. How it that? I don’t understand”, and said, “To treat the patients, I know well. If you insist that is Zen, I won’t come back to you again”. Master Nan-in smiled and said, “OK, today I give you a Koan, (Dharma puzzle) ‘the first mind enlightening’ to work over”.

Kusuda went back home and worked over the koan for two years. He thought that he got insight into the realization of the real mind. But Master Nan-in said, "You are not in yet". He went back and pondered the koan for another year and a half, and came back again. This time his mind was empty, calm, peaceful and untroubled; neither things nor worry in his mind. His mind was lifted above worry and concern, life and death. He treated his patients well. When he visited his master again, Master Nan-in just smiled; nothing to say.

This story tells us that to do our job is the first gate to access the purification of the mind. If the task is done, nothing is to be concerned. Then the mind is purified and lifted above worry and concern. There is no worry or concern, happy isn’t it?