The Giver Should Be Thankful
A monk asked Master T?zan, "
How should we handle the cold and heat?" T?zan replied,
"Why not go where there is no cold or heat?" The monk asked,
"Where is the place without cold or heat?" T?zan said,
"When cold, be completely cold; when hot, be completely hot."
Reflection
Tozan's response to the question of handling cold and heat overturns the human tendency to seek escape from discomfort. 'When cold, be completely cold; when hot, be completely hot.' The place without cold or heat is not a physical refuge but a state of total acceptance. Freedom lies not in changing conditions but in surrendering the resistance to them.