Recently, I came across this list and thought it would be great to capture in my blog.

It's a list of sort of "Dharmic-Jewish" sayings - haha. The Buddhism or Taoism brings one to a place of peace and the Jewish aspect counterbalances that with a sense of action, urgency and a practicality of sorts.

Now I'm not Jewish or Buddhist, but I think there is wisdom to be found in all traditions. I really like a lot that's in the Eastern ways of thinking and "being". It all appeals to me. Still, there is a sense in which all of that causes us to draw back or retreat to the mountaintop.

One can only levitate for so long.

More than anything I just love the Jewish humour of these sayings.

Those Dharmic - Jewish Sayings then ...

* The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single "oy".

* If you wish to know The Way, don't ask for directions. Argue. Take only what is given. Own nothing but your robes and an alms bowl - unless, of course, you have the closet space.

* Let your mind be as a floating cloud. Let your stillness be as the wooded glen. And sit up straight. You'll never meet the Buddha with posture like that.

* There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?

* Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.

* To practice Zen and the art of Jewish motorcycle maintenance, do the following: get rid of the motorcycle. What were you thinking?

* Learn of the pine from the pine. Learn of the bamboo from the bamboo. Learn of the matzo ball soup from the matzo ball soup.

* Be aware of your body. Be aware of your perceptions. Keep in mind that not every physical sensation is a symptom of a terminal illness.

* If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

* Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems.

* The Tao has no expectations. The Tao demands nothing of others. The Tao does not speak. The Tao does not blame. The Tao does not take sides. The Tao is not Jewish.

* Drink tea and nourish life. With the first sip, joy. With the second, satisfaction. With the third, a bite of bagel.

* The Buddha taught that one should practice loving kindness to all sentient beings. Still, would it kill you to find a nice sentient being who happens to be Jewish?

* Be patient and achieve all things. Be impatient and achieve all things faster.

* To Find the Buddha, look within. Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers. Each flower blossoms ten thousand times. Each blossom has ten thousand petals. You might want to see a specialist.

* Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated?

* Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkes (beans).