Han Shan Te Ching (1546–1623 CE) was a highly influential Buddhist monk whose influence in the Chan school continues to the present day. Among his extensive writings is a set of ‘maxims’ from which these are taken.

You can’t be comfortable if you’ve got splinters in your skin. Worse, if you don’t get them out, the skin becomes infected. Infected skin becomes necrotic.

It is the same with the heart. You can’t be comfortable if splinters of greed are stuck in it. And if you don’t get them out, your heart becomes infected. What will you do if your spirit dies?

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Waves roughen the sea and windmills turn because of the wind. Take away the wind and the sea becomes calm and the windmills come to rest. For every effect there is a cause.

The waves of desire for things in the material world churn our minds, keep us in a constant state of agitation, scrambling in all directions. What do you think could happen if we eliminate desire?