Lantern Viewing at Jinping; The Monk is Imprisoned

Where should one strive to practice dhyana?Swiftly to extirpate the misdeeds of the thought−horse and the mind−ape.When they are firmly tethered they give off radiance,But whoever halts falls to the three paths of suffering.If one allows the divine elixir to leak away,The jade−pure nature will wither as one slackens.Anger, joy and worry must all be swept away:When the wonderful mystery is gained it seems like nothing. The story tells how the Tang Priest and his three disciples left the city of Yuhua and had a very easy journey in what really was a land of paradise. When they had been travelling for five or six days another city appeared. "Where is this?" the Tang Priest asked Brother Monkey. "It's a city," Monkey replied, "but there are no flags on the poles above the city wall and I don't know this area, so I'll ask when we get closer." When they reached the Eastern suburb they found it noisy with bars and tea−houses and bustling with a rice market and oil shops. Some idlers who were wandering in the streets with nothing better to do crowded round for a better look......