Wisdom

Why are martial artists so intrigued with Zen sayings when there is just as much wisdom in our own homegrown sayings? How is a Zen master’s wisdom any better than that of a country farmer? Both are stating the obvious; both are merely using common sense. So, why do martial artists tend to consider a Zen saying profound while considering a country saying quaint? Here are a few country sayings that are just as profound as any Zen sayings.

• Never name a pig you plan to eat.
• Life ain't about how fast you run, or how high you climb. It's about how good you bounce.
• Keep skunks and gossipers at a distance.
• Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps.
• Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
• Meanness don't happen overnight.
• Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.
• Don't sell your mule to buy a plow.
• Don't corner something meaner than you.
• It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
• You can't unsay a cruel remark.
• Every path has some puddles.
• Don't wrestle with pigs. You'll get all muddy, and the pigs'll love it.
• The best sermons are lived, not preached.
• Most of the stuff people worry about never happens.
• Never miss a good chance to shut up.
• Always drink upstream from the herd.
• If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
• There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.
• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
• If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
• You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.
• One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.
• Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors
• Quit griping about your school; if it was perfect, they wouldn’t let you attend
• God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
• You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.