Question
How can a person live in peace when they are about to lose their home and end up on the street with their whole family, lacking basic necessities such as a place to live, food, education, and medical care? I ask because Buddhism and Zen speak of detachment and eradicating suffering. How can a person transcend this lack of basic necessities during their lifetime?
Fabian.
Fabian
Answer from Master Kosen
That person cannot live in peace. All Buddhist teaching is addressed to people who decide to practice the Way, and then a harmony with their surroundings always comes about. Master Deshimaru called this ‘following the cosmic order.‘
It is a terrible truth that in today’s consumer society, many people go without the basics. That is why a monk lives with few needs and freely accepts what happens to him. Sometimes life is easy, sometimes difficult, depending on what comes our way.
Kosen