January 30^th, 2024

Nowadays many have lost the old way,
and many try to usurp the style of Zen,
setting up their own sects,
keeping to cliches,
and concocting standardized
formulas and slogans.
Since they themselves are not out of the rut,
when they try to help other people,
it is like a rat going into a hollow horn
that grows narrower and narrower
until the rat is trapped in a total impasse.