Treeleaf Zendo Podcast - Master Tong'an Changcha's Ten Talks of Unfathomable Depth (6)
We continue our series based on master Tong'an Changcha's 'Ten Talks of Unfathomable Depth', and this month we tackle two more of the talks, the sixth and seventh, called The Song of Returning Home and The Song of Not Returning Home. The short texts says: 6. The Song of Returning Home Don’t be distracted by the King of Emptiness when you are still on the Way. You must drive your staff forward, moving on until you reach home. If you travel for a long time like clouds and water, don’t get attached to it. Even in the deep recesses of snowy mountains, don’t forget your mission. Ah! I regretted that in past days my face was like jade. And I lamented that at the time of my return my hair had turned white. Returning to my old home with dangling arms, there was no one who recognized me. Also, I had nothing to offer my parents. 7. The Song of Not Returning Home Having the intention of going to the source, of returning to the origin, is already a mistake. Essentially, there is nowhere to settle down, no place to call one’s home. The ancient path through the pines is covered with deep snow. The long range of mountain peaks is furthermore blocked by clouds. When host and guest are tranquil and serene, everything is incongruous. When lord and vassal are united, there is wrong in the midst of right. How will you sing the song of returning home? In bright moonlight, the dead tree is blooming in front of the hall. The talk was given during the Treeleaf monthly Zazenkai, on August 7th, 2026. More information on treeleaf.org