Written by: Ralph Wilms, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The story of Onami and his Zen teacher Hakuju. In 19th century Japan, there lived a famous sumo wrestler named Onami, translated as "great wave." He was widely known for his strength. He even defeated his teacher in private bouts, but in public competitions, he was defeated by his students. At a loss, he turned to Hakuju, a Zen teacher and wandering monk, while staying in a small nearby temple.
It is said that Hakuju used unconventional methods when he taught. One hot summer afternoon, he was teaching the original philosophy of Zen Buddhism when he noticed that some of his students were falling asleep. He abruptly stopped teaching and said, "Isn't it a hot afternoon today? I can't blame you if you fall asleep. Do you mind if I join you?" Then he flipped his textbook shut, leaned back, and fell asleep. The students were perplexed. All of them who had dozed off before were awakened by snoring and waited for him to wake up again.
It was this Zen Master Hakuju that Onami sought out, for the pressure of publicity weighed heavily on him. So heavy that he could not come into his power. Hakuju told him: "If "Great Wave" is your name, then stay in the temple this night. Imagine that you are that wave. You are no longer a sumo wrestler who is afraid. You are those huge waves that sweep away everything in front of them. Just do that, and you will be the greatest sumo wrestler this country has ever seen."
Hakuju retreated. Onami sat in the temple and imagined being a wave. Many thoughts went through his mind in the beginning. Then more and more, the feeling of being a wave set in. As the night went on, the waves became bigger and bigger. They washed away the vases of flowers that were placed in the temple. Even the statue of Buddha was caught in the waves. Before dawn, in Onami's mind, there was only ebb and flow in a vast sea. In the morning, Hakuju found the sumo wrestler Onami still meditating in the temple, with a smile on his face. He gently patted him on the shoulders and whispered in his ear, "Nothing can stop you now. You are now the wave and will sweep away everything in your path." That same day, Onami faced the wrestling match again and won. From that point on, no one was able to defeat Onami.
When we take the time to dive deep into the essence of our being, we discover another dimension of our being underneath the "Little I": the "transpersonal self” beyond any patterns, fears, or conditioning. This Self, when deeply experienced, is untouched by success or failure, worry or illness. It knows it is eternal and has an infinite expanse, like the ocean. It only reveals itself when we pause. It cannot be forced or organized. For most people, this self lives beneath their everyday reality, like an invisible stream. Sometimes it shows itself spontaneously and takes us into the deep structure of life. It no longer cares about the opinions of others, fully accepts its humanity, like the Zen master Hakuju, sleeps when tired, or becomes a colossal wave like Onami. This self no longer wastes time hiding its true face behind a facade.
One of the fundamental conditions to get in touch with this deeper self is to take time for ourselves. Often we take care of everything else but ourselves. Without taking care of this self, we usually get stuck in the surface structure of our lives, living past the core of our being. That's why Chuang Tse, one of my favorite Chinese philosophers, said, "Therefore, he who turns only outward without returning to himself goes about life as a ghost." I wish you for the coming time the authenticity of the Zen Master Hakuju and for your deepest goals and visions, the devotion and self-forgetfulness of the Sumo Wrestler Onami.
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Ralph Wilms, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
University degree in Social Sciences (Sociology / Political Science / Psychology) Clinical Psychologist, Founder of a Sustainable and Ethical Investment Company. Studies in Chinese Daoist philosophy. Training in techniques of contemplation and meditation in various spiritual traditions: Sufism, Chan Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, Greek Mysticism. Member of Eurotas – The European Transpersonal Association. Founder of Silence Finder GmbH – Intercultural Meditation App. Meditation teacher and transpersonal coach. 35 years of experience in various meditation techniques and their practical application. Not bound to any spiritual tradition.
