Shundo David Haye

‘None of us thought to be born into this world, at this time, to these parents. We received from the source, totally and innocently, the circumstances into which we were born, with no expectations, no knowledge, and no preconceptions about what this life would be like when we entered it. We accepted our situation of birth. We never thought about how we would not want to be born into this difficult-to-live-in house, into this period of history. After the term of pregnancy we are merely born, and we arrive, with a big cry and total acceptance. Our mother’s, father’s and ancestors’ habits are given to us without our expectation. Therefore, to say “This is good” and “This is bad” is to add something on afterward – it is not something that is part of our pure mind at birth.’ (The Path to Bodhidharma)