Be Master Wherever You Stand
Be master wherever you stand, and the very place you stand becomes true.
Am I standing here as the master of this place, or as a guest swept here against my will?
📝Reflection
Linji did not say to first seek out a better environment. He said: be the master of wherever you stand. I lived the reverse for too long, telling myself I would steady my mind once my circumstances improved. But the better place never comes, or once it comes I start chasing yet another. Linji's words are cool and clear: this ordinary spot beneath my feet becomes a true place the moment I become its master. Truth lies not in the location but in the attitude I bring to it. A single subway car on the commute, the sink where I wash dishes — stand there as master, and that is the temple.
🌱Apply It Today
Just before you enter the place you least want to be today (a meeting, a chore, a commute), say inwardly once: "Here, I am the master." The face of the unwilling guest will soften a little.
This verse is read as universal humanistic wisdom, not religion — no faith is promoted, and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.
