213 - No Water, No Moon
Zen and the Art of Not Getting It
Have you ever felt desperate to figure something out, to make sense of confusion, to find solid ground when life feels uncertain? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Secular Buddhism Podcast, I explore how Zen koans can train us to become more comfortable with not knowing.
In particular, we look at the story of Chiyono, a Zen nun who carried water in a wooden pail one moonlit night. When the bamboo bands broke and the bottom fell out, the reflection of the moon vanished, and in that moment, she awakened.
“No more water in the pail, no more moon in the water.”
That simple phrase captures something profound about life: real insight often comes not when we get it, but when something in us finally lets go.
Key Takeaways
- Our addiction to certainty
We humans love answers. We cling to being right, even when we’re not, because uncertainty feels unbearable. But that grasping keeps us stuck. - The power of not knowing
Koans aren’t puzzles to solve; they’re invitations to stop trying so hard to solve life. When we let ourselves sit in the confusion, we create space for genuine insight to arise. - The moment the pail breaks
Like Chiyono, we all experience moments when the bottom falls out, when plans fail, identities crumble, or things stop making sense. These moments aren’t failures; they’re opportunities for awakening. - Everyday koans
The old Zen stories prepare us for the real koans life throws at us: illness, loss, change, uncertainty. Our practice isn’t to escape confusion, it’s to stay present through it.
Why This Matters
If we never practice being with uncertainty, every unpredictable moment in life becomes a source of panic. But when we can sit with not knowing, life itself becomes our teacher.
Sometimes, clarity comes not from finding answers, but from realizing we don’t need them.
You can listen to the full episode below to explore these ideas more deeply and reflect on your own “broken pail” moments.
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