Non-judgment

A farmer’s old horse ran off into the hills. When, his neighbours sympathised with him over his bad luck, the farmer replied, 'Maybe!’ A week later the horse returned with an imposing wild horse from the hills and this time the neighbours congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, 'Maybe!’

The farmer's son fell off and broke his leg while attempting to tame the wild horse. Everyone thought this to be bad luck. But the farmer maintained the same reaction, 'Maybe!’ A week later the army marched into the village and forcefully enlisted every able-bodied youth. However they let off the farmer's son due to his broken leg.

The farmer in the Zen story is practicing non-judgment. He displays tolerance for ambiguity. He understands that you can't judge any event as an ‘end’. Our life doesn't play out like a predictable script. There aren't definite breaks that separate one moment from another, and there isn't a seamless conclusion.

It’s the nature of the mind to judge. Sometimes, these judgments are helpful as they can lead to understand situation. But when left unbridled, the judging mind is taxing and controlling. It takes significant energy to evaluate every experience we encounter. There’s always something to be done about wherever you are.

Non-judgment means letting go of reflex judgments that arise in our mind with the experience we encounter. Keeping off the judging mind, even for a short while, is a refreshing weight off of our shoulders. Interestingly it opens our perspective to true mindful presence.

Don’t exult early… don’t immediately lament

Open the mind full-on, opt for non-judgment!

~ Pravin K Sabnis