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Magazine Parting WordsCulture

The Miraculous Functioning of the ‘I’

By Kusan Suryeon

Summer 2024

I made friends with the white clouds and grey storks
Who gently reply to the fresh wind and the bright moon.
Unaffected by the passage of time
I remain bright and quiet while I sit.
A bowl of porridge,
A plate of wild greens,
And a cup of tea:
I smile.

♦

Kusan Suryeon (1909–1983) was the resident meditation master at Songgwangsa monastery and the first Son (Zen) teacher to train Western students in South Korea.