Before death arrives

(koan)

— Master Grasshopper, before death arrives, is it important to leave behind a legacy that will…

— Zip it! — Master Grasshopper interrupted — You’ve got it all wrong! The only important thing before death arrives is to know that “before death arrives” never leads to the most important thing.

Unfortunately, it was only shortly before the cenobite’s death arrived that he stopped worrying about the times previous to the arrival of his death.

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Note to the reader

The cenobite spoke in terms of death, but Master Grasshopper answered in terms of the most important thing: The Living Present.

What is “before death arrives” anyway? Is it a specific moment in time, is it a person’s lifespan, is it part of the timeless times?! Whatever it is, as Master Grasshopper implied, it is probably not the wisest of ideas.