Han Shan on Anger and Forbearance
Anger is a fire in the mind
it can burn up a feast of merit
if you travel the bodhisattva path
forbearance keeps anger away.
- Han Shan, aka Cold Mountain.
In his Yichiaoching (Testament Sutra) the Buddha says, “An angry mind is worse than a raging fire. Guard against it always, and don't let it get started. Nothing robs you of merit more than anger.” Merit refers to the wonderful effects of selfless acts in freeing beings from delusion and suffering. A bodhisattva is one who works for the enlightenment and liberation of others. Forbearance is one of the six virtues cultivated by the bodhisattva. The others are charity, morality, devotion, meditation and wisdom. In the last line, some editions have chen (true) in place of chen (anger), in which case the line would read: “forbearance protects the true mind.”
- Red Pine from The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
. . . . .
Heron Dance reflection:
Anger, self-righteous indignation
Fighting injustice, opposing dishonesty
Illusions of separateness
You don't cure stupidity by beating it up
I know this, and yet sometimes . . .
Sometimes when pushed, I push back
Sometimes I fight knowing it's not worth it
Knowing I can't win, knowing it is pointless
Self-destructive even.
Still, still I resist.
At times like that, I need to go to the river
And let the wild water wash me clean
Empty my mind of this rage, this struggle
And relax into peace.
And even old Han Shan, Cold Mountain
Born to privilege and exiled
(Or perhaps he left in disgust to live in the mountains)
Even old Han Shan's poems sometimes offer bitterness
At the established order of things.
Liquidation Sale of Art
The sale was a tremendous success with approximately fifty originals and prints sold.
There are about twenty prints left. You can order a random three — they are all Heron Dance bestsellers here.
All prices include shipping.
Order three for $100 here.
Order ten for $200 here.
There are also still a few originals left like Grizzly Looking. They are $120 each including shipping. See the remaining selection here.
Most originals and prints ordered in the last week will ship tomorrow, Monday, October 6, 2025.
The only art that is excluded from this liquidation sale are a few “Zen Drawings and Paintings” which will be featured in an upcoming book.
The Tao Te Ching Journal: A Path To Inner Quiet
Zen Mountain Journal blends Taoist hermit poetry, contemplative art, and reflections drawn from a lifetime shaped by wilderness, solitude, and decades doing creative work on the outer boundaries of our culture. These journals are companions for seekers — guides in the reconnection with inner quiet, beauty, and the “soundless music” of a life lived with simplicity and meaning.
• Size: 9.25 × 8.5 inches — convenient size for desk or lap.
• Hardcover — the book can be written in without a table or desk.
• Double wire-o bound to lay flat.
• Printed on Mohawk Superfine, a premium uncoated paper for a beautiful writing surface.
• 160 pages.
