HERACLITUS STUDIES:

The Fragments as Koans

heraclitus koans
written by
Erik Wiegart
with !ragments trans"ate by
#ohn $%rnett
Co&yright ' ()** by Erik Wiegart+ A"" rights reser,e+
worsmith &ress - san iego - .a"i!ornia
CONTENTS:
Background
Introduction 3
Translations 3
History 4
The Method
Introduction 7
Essence and unction !
aith and "ou#t $
%ersonal %ractice $
rag&ents ' Co&&entary $
(eek One )*
(eek T+o )*
(eek Three ))
(eek our ))
(eek i,e ' On+ard ))
-eading rag&ents ' Co&&entary .-'C/ )0
122endi3 1: Notes ' O#ser,ations )4
122endi3 B: Co&2lete rag&ents o4 Heraclitus )!
0
Background
There is no such thing as a master or pupil among them
[the Heracliteans], but they spring up of their own accord.
%lato .Theat5 )7$*6)!* 1'C/
Introduction
I kno+ ,ery little a#out 7en koans #ut enough to hold the o2inion that the method o4 study is as
i&2ortant as the +ords the&sel,es8 &ay#e &ore so5 %eo2le study 7en koans to #eco&e enlightened5 To
get there one a22arently has )! &a9or &ystical e32eriences and nu&erous &inor ones8 insights so&e
call the&8 these e32eriences5 I:,e had so&e o4 these so6called insights8 and the e44ort is +orth+hile only
i4 you are the sort o4 2erson +ho a22reciates greater de2th and &eaning in li4e5 I4 not8 then you +ill
likely 4ind the& a +aste o4 ti&e5
It is this method that &akes it 2ossi#le to study Heraclitus 4rag&ents as one +ould study 7en koans8
and +ith the sa&e or si&ilar result5 The &ethod o4 study co&es 4ro& Chinese 7en and has #een in use
4or a#out )*** years5 The Heraclitus 4rag&ents ha,e #een around 4or a#out 0;** years8 #ut so 4ar as I
kno+ the t+o ha,e ne,er #een introduced to each other < until this +ork you are no+ reading5 =ou +ill
#e one o4 the 4irst to a22ly a 7en &ethod to Heraclitus study5
In addition8 this is the only +ork I kno+ that atte&2ts to understand Heraclitus 4ro& the 2ers2ecti,e o4
the right cere#ral he&is2here5 Heraclitus +as kno+n as the O#scure One8 e,en in his li4eti&e8 #ecause
he o4ten said things that de4ied rational analysis5 =ou +ill 4ind that &uch o4 the literature in,estigating
these 4rag&ents atte&2ts to &ake sense o4 the& #y using the le4t #rain < o4ten until the scholar a22ears
tired and not 9ust a little silly5 (e +on:t #e doing that5 Instead8 +e +ill #e using 7en &ystical &ethods
to study a (estern &ystic8 o44ering entirely ne+ and di44erent 2ossi#ilities5
Translations
>ohn Burnett:s translation +as used8 4irst8 #ecause it is in the 2u#lic do&ain5 14ter a+hile8 I also
reali?ed that Burnett has a 2oet:s a44ection 4or the +ords o4 Heraclitus5 Ho+e,er8 as is generally the
case +ith +orks that are &ore than )** years old8 so&e o4 the +ords are outdated and rarely in use
today5 There +ere a 4e+ ,ery &inor re,isions that +ere &ade8 all o4 the& +ith the assistance o4 the
&ore conte&2orary scholar and translator8 T5 M5 @o#inson5 His +ork8 Heraclitus Fragments
.Ani,ersity o4 Toronto %ress8 )$!7/ is reco&&ended8 and unlike &any co&&entaries a,aila#le8 it is
readily accessi#le to the lay reader5 The ,arious inter2retations and co&&entaries a,aila#le on
Heraclitus should #e read +ith caution8 and it should #e re&e&#ered that their o2inions &ay or &ay
not #e &ore ,alid than your o+n < es2ecially a4ter you 4inish these studies5
3
History
BHeraclitus .c5;3;6c547; BCE/5 E3tracted 4ro& The Path of the Sage8 )$$C5D There are a nu&#er o4
centuries in history +hen hu&an #eings rose to the challenge o4 greatness5 One o4 these +as in the si3th
century BCE8 a ti&e +hen +e crossed the #ridge 4ro& ani&is& to natural 2hiloso2hy and (estern
Ci,ili?ation +as #orn5 It #egan in Ionia8 a rich culture &ade u2 o4 t+el,e 2rinci2le cities located along
the south+estern coast o4 Turkey and on the near#y 1egean Islands in the Mediterranean5

Ionian history #egan +hen colonists 4ro& &ainland Ereece 4led their ho&eland around )*** BCE to
esca2e the conFuering "orians o4 south+est Macedonia5 The Erecian re4ugees &arried the nati,e
Carians to 2roduce a ne+ culture and a ne+ 2eo2le8 the Ionians5 The Ionians #eca&e &erchant sea&en
and #uilders o4 great cities and te&2les that +ere reno+ned throughout the ancient +orld5 Today8 these
cities and te&2les are largely 4orgotten8 #uried in the silt and dust o4 ti&e5 But itGs only an e&2ire that
+as lost8 a s&all &atter co&2ared to the ci,ili?ation that +as +on8 a ci,ili?ation that 4irst 4or&ed in the
2hiloso2herGs &ind5 or the Stoa8 that &ind #elonged to Heraclitus5
He +as a no#le&an o4 E2hesus5 So&e say he +as a hereditary king +ho set aside his cro+n to study
2hiloso2hy5 He +as undou#tedly a sage8 a &ystic genius8 and the 4irst cos&ologist o4 the Stoa5
Heraclitus has 4ascinated thinkers 4ro& Socrates to Eoethe and 4ro& 1ristotle to conte&2orary
Fuantu& 2hysicists5 He is the greatest o4 the Ionian sages8 a ounding ather o4 (estern Ci,ili?ation8 a
creator o4 2hiloso2hy8 and a di,iner o4 the 4unda&ental essence o4 the cos&os5 He is also kno+n as the
O#scure One8 a re2utation acFuired in his o+n ti&e 4or a ,ague and riddling style that so&e #elie,e he
deli#erately ado2ted to elude e,en the &ost erudite scholars5
Eod8 he called the -ogos8 @eason8 Intelligence8 a (hole &ade u2 o4 the su& total o4 all o22osites8
constantly in &otion8 #irthing8 li,ing8 dying8 and #eing #orn again5 The Heraclitean uni,erse is a 2lace
+here all 2arts are related to the +hole8 and its sy&#ol is 4ire8 a rare4ied 4ire that 2er&eates8 consu&es8
destroys8 creates8 and lights the cos&os as one single organis& o4 li4e5
An4ortunately8 +hat he +rote8 in its original 4or&8 has #een lost in antiFuity #y the syste&atic atte&2ts
o4 early Christians8 such as Theodosius I .4
th
century CE/8 the last e&2eror o4 a uni4ied @o&e +ho set
out to destroy all re&nants o4 2agan ci,ili?ations during the years o4 his reign8 37;63$; CE5 (hat the
Christians didn:t destroy8 &any others atte&2ted5 In the 7
th
century CE8 the last o4 the early Stoic +orks
+ere likely destroyed in the +ill4ul destruction o4 the great li#rary o4 1le3andria5 Cali2h O&ar8 the
Musli& general +ho conFuered Egy2t8 ga,e the edict that all #ooks e3ce2t the Horan +ere to #e
#urned5 The contents o4 the li#rary8 all the greatest +orks o4 antiFuity8 +ere carted o44 to #e #urned as
4uel 4or the 2u#lic #aths o4 1le3andria8 kee2ing their 4ires lit8 it +as said8 4or &ore than si3 &onths5

1ll that re&ains are 4rag&entary re4erences 4ro& &any sources8 so&e relia#le8 so&e unrelia#le8 4ro&
%lato to Medie,al &onastic scholars5 1nd 4ro& these 4rag&ents +e disco,er re&arka#le 2arallels
#et+een the o#ser,ations o4 Heraclitus and &odern 2hysicists 0;** years later5 His cos&ology and ours
descri#e a uni,erse that is a uni4ied +holeI an eternal #eco&ing8 2er2etual and cyclicalI unity and
2arado3 in 2airs o4 o22ositesI and a dyna&ic li,ing organis& o4 &o,e&ent8 4lo+8 and change5 In all o4
these attri#utes o4 Nature8 Heraclitus +ould include a rational consciousness and 2ro,idence5
4
BAll Roads lead to Heraclitus5 E3tracted 4ro& The Boo of !oubt8 0**;5D The darkest night o4
%yrrhonean dou#t settled on 1eneside&us .Ankno+n: a4ter %hilo #ut #e4ore Se3tus E&2iricus o4 0
nd
c5/8 #ut the 4irst 2ro2het o4 uncertainty #egan nearly 4i,e centuries earlier +ith Jeno2hanes .;7*647!
BCE/8 a +andering 2oet62hiloso2her 4ro& Ionia #orn in the to+n o4 Colo2hon +ho li,ed in a nu&#er
o4 Ereek city states during his e3ceedingly long li4e5 He +as o4ten clai&ed #y the ancients to #e the
4irst true ske2tic #ased es2ecially u2on one 2reser,ed 4rag&ent o4 his +ork8 a co&&ent he 2ur2ortedly
&ade a#out kno+ledge:
...and of course the clear and certain truth no man has seen nor will
there be anyone who nows about the gods and what " say about all
things. For e#en if, in the best case, one happened to spea $ust of
what has been brought, still he himself would not now. But opinion
is allotted to all.
Conte&2orary acade&ic 2hiloso2hers argue o,er the e3act inter2retation o4 this te3t8 #ut the gist o4 it is
that there ne,er has #een and ne,er +ill #e anyone +ho has or +ill achie,e certain kno+ledge5
Heraclitus .c5 ;3;647; BCE/ and Parmenides .early ;
th
century BCE/5 Heraclitus disagreed +ith
Jeno2hanes and #elie,ed it was 2ossi#le to 2ro,ide an e32lanation o4 the +orld #y the relationshi2 o4
the -ogos8 the di,ine intelligence8 to the hu&an 2syche8 the seat o4 hu&an kno+ledge +here#y +e
co&e to kno+ such intelligence5 This is thought to #e the origins o4 e2iste&ology8 the study o4 the
nature o4 kno+ledge8 in (estern 2hiloso2hy5 Then8 Heraclitus +ent on to descri#e the 2rocesses o4
Nature as e&anation 4ro& Eod8 the One8 into the &any 2arts o4 our 4a&iliar +orld and #ack again in a
continuous state o4 4lu35 E3istence as +e kno+ it is in such a state o4 4lu3 that at any gi,en &o&ent one
could not descri#e the nature o4 any o#9ect8 #ecause8 #y the ti&e it +as descri#ed8 it +ould ha,e
changed again and #eco&e slightly di44erent5 Heraclitus &aintained that all o#9ects in our +orld +ere in
a state o4 #eco&ing8 4ro& #irth and gro+th to deterioration and death8 4ro& the li4e o4 2lanets to the
aging o4 our o+n 2hysical constitution5
%ar&enides disagreed +ith Heraclitus and thought it +as i&2ossi#le 4or Eod8 the One8 to #eco&e all
the &any 2arts o4 our 4a&iliar +orld5 In 4act8 i4 the One +ere 2er4ect8 +hy +ould it e3tend itsel4 into a
state o4 i&2er4ectionK No8 the One +as an i&&o,a#le #eing8 the +orld +as in a state o4 #eing8 not in a
state o4 #eco&ing8 as Heraclitus &aintained8 and the changes +e see in li4e as +e kno+ it +as an
illusion5 In his +ork8 The %ay of Truth8 %ar&enides states that the One is L+hole8 i&&o#ile8 eternal8
all together8 one and continuous5M There +ere t+o kinds o4 kno+ledge: true kno+ledge and co&&on
kno+ledge8 and +hat &ost o4 us see +ith our senses and #elie,e +ith our &inds is o4 the co&&on sort8
&ere o2inion5
Aenesidemus and Heraclitus5 Se3tus E&2iricus critici?ed 1eneside&us 4or saying8 L1ll roads lead to
Heraclitus5M 1cade&icians today take three 2ositions on 1eneside&us: state&ent: 4irst8 it is
&eaningless and irrele,antI
)
second8 it +as &ade +hile he +as in the 2rocess o4 con,erting 4ro& the
1cade&y to %yrrhonis&I
0
and third8 1eneside&us actually le4t %yrrhonis& in the end and #eca&e a
)5 Stough8 C58 LStoic "eter&inis& and Moral @es2onsi#ility8M in The Stoics, Ed58 >5 @ist8
Ani,ersity o4 Cali4ornia %ress8 Berkeley8 )$7!5
0 @ist8 >ohn M58 LThe Heracliteanis& o4 1eneside&us8M Phoeni& JJIN .)$7*/8 225 3*$63)$5
;
Heraclitean5
3
It does see& odd that he +ould #eco&e a Heraclitean a4ter the 2ure 4or& o4 ske2ticis& he
endorsed and taught8 and @ist &ay #e right5
@ist thinks the criticis& o4 Se3tus &ay ha,e #een re4erring to a 2eriod #et+een 1eneside&us:
ske2ticis& at the 1cade&y and #reaking a+ay to 4ound the school o4 %yrrhonis&5 His thesis #egins #y
noting that ske2tics assert the appearance o4 o22osite attri#utes +hile Heracliteans assert the reality o4
o22osite attri#utes8 +hich leads hi& to suggest the 4ollo+ing 2ossi#le conclusions:
)5 1eneside&us #roke +ith the 1cade&y #ecause o4 %hilo and 1ntiochusG &o,e to+ards Stoic
dog&a5
05 1eneside&us 4irst aligned hi&sel4 +ith his teacher %hilo in searching 4or the true reality o4
o#9ects #ehind the in4or&ation +e get 4ro& our senses5
35 His ske2tical education led hi& to e&#race the Heraclitean notion o4 a continuu& o4 o22osites
in e,ery o#9ect5 This +as the Heraclitean 2eriod to +hich Se3tus +as re4erring5
45 inally8 he co&es to re9ect the 2ossi#ility o4 e,er kno+ing the real o#9ect lying #ehind our
sensory i&2ressions8 and 9ust #y kno+ing that it has o22osite characteristics doesnGt gi,e us any
certainty a#out its underlying nature5 So8 epoche8 +e &ust sus2end 9udg&ent5

In an atte&2t to attain so&e certainty on the &atter8 I +rote an e6&ail to %ro4essor Eroarke8 "ean o4 the
Brant4ord Ca&2us o4 (il4ed -aurier Ani,ersity in Canada5 He had re4erenced his assertion that
1eneside&us ended his 2hiloso2hical career as a Heraclitean +ith the usual Se3tus &aterial8 2lus a
cou2le o4 2assages 4ro& the early Christian a2ologist8 Tertullian '!e (nima $5;8 )45;/5
%ro4essor Eroarke ans+ered8 Lro& &y 2oint o4 ,ie+8 I donGt 4ind the HeracliteanO%yrrhonean 2arts o4
1eneside&usG career all that strange5 I4 you #elie,e8 as I do8 that the essence o4 sce2ticis& is its
e&2hasis on eFual #ut o22osing 2oints o4 ,ie+8 then it is not so sur2rising that so&eone +ould 9u&2
4ro& this to the conclusion that o22osites are the essence o4 the +orld .i5e5 HeraclitusP/5M

1nd so it goes5 I4 1eneside&us created %yrrhonis&8 then a#andoned his creation and #eca&e a
Heraclitean8 as the only ancient re4erences to this 4act suggest8 a good e32lanation o4 his reasons ha,e
not #e 4ound5
Q
3 Eroarke8 -eo8 (ncient Septicism8 Stan4ord Encyclo2edia o4 %hiloso2hy8 0**35
C
The Method
Introduction
The 7en koan8 a kind o4 teaching story8 +as 4irst #egun in China &ore than )*** years ago as a test o4
&ystical insight5 1 2ractitioner o4 7en8 then and no+8 uses koans as a tool o4 &editation and to e,aluate
the le,el o4 understanding o4 #oth &aster and 2u2il5 There are t+o 2arts to the koan8 the koan itsel4 and
the co&&entary added #y other &asters5
Here is an e3a&2le o4 a 7en koan as 4ound in Tho&as Cleary:s +ork8 )nlocing the *en +oan .North
1tlantic Books8 )$$7/5
37: The Cypress Tree in the Yard
BThe HoanD
A &onk asked 7hao?hou8 L(hat is the li,ing &eaning o4 7enKM
7hao?hou said8 LThe Cy2ress tree in the yard5M
BThe Co&&entaryD
(u&en says8
I4 you can see the 2oint o4 7hao?hou:s ans+er inti&ately8 there is no 2ast Buddha #e4ore and no 4uture
Buddha a4ter5
(u&en:s ,erse
(ords do not set 4orth 4acts8
S2eech does not accord +ith situationsI
Those +ho take u2 +ords 2erish8
Those +ho linger o,er sayings get lost5
7en Master Huanglong Nan:s ,erse
1ll trees +ither and die in ti&e8
But the cy2ress in 7hoa?hou:s yard 4lourishes 4ore,er5
Not only does it de4y the 4rost8 kee2ing its integrityI
It ,irtually sings +ith a clear ,oice to the light o4 the &oon5
1nd so on 5 5 5 5
The method +e +ill #e using here 4ollo+s that +hich can #e 4ound in )nlocing the *en +oan Fuoted
a#o,e5 Cleary clai&s to ha,e studied 7en koans 4or thirty years and is re2uted to #e one o4 the 4ore&ost
translators o4 Buddhist and Taoists te3ts in the +orld5 I ha,e 2ersonally studied this +ork and its
&ethod and can reco&&end it highly5 That:s +hy I ha,e ado2ted and ada2ted it to the study o4 the
Heraclitus 4rag&ents5 I kno+ that it +orks5
I ha,e chosen t+el,e +ell6kno+n 4rag&ents o4 Heraclitus to #e used as koans in our study5 Ho+e,er8
Stoics do not ha,e a tradition o4 7en koan &asters to 2ro,ide the co&&entary necessary to 4ully
i&2le&ent the correct &ethod5 Thus8 I ha,e used the +ords o4 Heraclitus hi&sel4 to a&2li4y the chosen
koans5 He alone +ill #e our co&&entator until such ti&e as others can #e added5
7
There &ay #e those +ho +onder +hy +e don:t 9ust study 7en koansI +hy go to all the trou#le o4 using
a 7en &ethod to study the 4rag&ents o4 HeraclitusK 14ter all8 they ha,e )*** years o4 2ractice to o44er
the student o4 &editation5 =es8 I +ould agree8 e3ce2t that8 4rankly8 I:& &ore interested in the +ords o4
Heraclitus than I a& in those o4 the 7en &ystics5 Today8 Heraclitus is in danger o4 #eing 4orgotten #y
all #ut a hand4ul o4 scholars8 and I #elie,e it is 2ro4oundly i&2ortant 4or Stoics to kno+ the conce2ts
and origins o4 our cos&ology5
Essence and unction
In using the classical 7en &ethod8 according to Cleary8 +e seek the e32erience o4 t+o sy&#olic
do&ains o4 enlighten&ent: essence and 4unction5 irst8 +e seek the L-and o4 Eternal Silent -ight8M the
essence o4 +hat +e are5 Then8 +e seek the L-and o4 True @e+ard8M the 4unction o4 +hat +e can #e5 It:s
i&2ortant to re&e&#er that these are not real 2laces5 They re2resent sy&#olic na&es 4or the t+o
do&ains o4 e32erience that +e 4ind in our 4ul4ill&ent as a hu&an #eing5
These t+o do&ains are also re4lected in the order in ho+ 7en koans are 2resented5 The 4irst koan
esta#lishes one 4or& o4 res2onse and the second esta#lishes another5 1s it ha22ens8 they are also si&ilar
to the t+o kinds o4 &editation +e ha,e already studied: %neu&a and Stick 1ction Meditation8
res2ecti,ely5 %neu&a 4ocuses on the essence o4 #eing8 clearing the &ind and entering into silence8
+hile S1M 4ocuses on the &ind4ulness o4 our acti,e #eing5 Cleary re4ers to this as L5554ocusing the
attention on the total 2erce2tion o4 the i&&ediate 2resent .25 JJIII/5M This +ill #eco&e &ore a22arent
+hen +e actually get into the ste2s that 4ollo+8 #ut 4irst +e need to consider so&e o4 the reasons and
2ro#le&s +e should kno+5
1lthough +e are i&&ersing oursel,es in +ords8 the s2ecial talent o4 the le4t cere#ral he&is2here8 +e
are not using its analytical 2o+er5 Cleary &akes that 2lain in his introduction .25 JN/ +ith the
4ollo+ing state&ent: LIt is a3io&atic that the a+akening e32eriences and direct 2erce2tions o4 7en
reali?ation cannot #e e32lained or understood as they really are #y &eans o4 intellectual inter2retation
or conce2tual thought8 #ecause they are not in the do&ain o4 ideation5M Instead8 +hat +e are doing is
a+akening L555the &ind 4ro& the li&itations and #urdens o4 narro+ ,ie+s8 dog&atic assu&2tions8 and
circular thinking ha#its .25 JI/5M
aith ' "ou#t
aith is a +ord that:s o4462utting 4or so&e Stoics8 #ut 2art o4 the 2rocess o4 studying koans includes
4aith that the e44ort +ill achie,e results5 14ter all8 4aith can #e 9ust another +ord 4or 2erse,erance
through dou#t < continuing to go 4or+ard e,en +hen there is no result and nothing co&es together as
2lanned5 .See Cleary:s discussion o4 4aith8 dou#t8 and resolution on 25 JJIN5/ (hat you +ill #e
encountering here is di44erent 4ro& your usual studies5 It +ill 2ro#a#ly not &ake sense right a+ay8 and
at so&e 2oint you &ay dou#t there is any 2oint in continuing5 (hen that ha22ens you +ill need 4aith
.2erse,erance/ through the dou#t to the resolution5
It &ay take se,eral +eeks #e4ore you reali?e that +hat you are doing has any ,alue at all5 In 4act8 it:s
likely that you +ill #e con4used a#out ho+ to do it or i4 you are doing it correctly5 That too is 2art o4 the
2rocess5 "on:t Fuit5 =ou are thro+ing your cocky le4t #rain 4or a loo28 and that:s the +hole 2oint5 This
is not easy +ork8 #ut it does ha,e its re+ards8 and I can 2ro&ise that +ith 2erse,erance through the
dou#t you +ill 4inally understand Heraclitus as you:,e ne,er understood hi& #e4ore5
!
%ersonal 2ractice
I:,e #een 4ascinated #y Heraclitus 4or years5 That &ay #e #ecause I:,e al+ays #een attracted to
nonsense ,erse8 #ut &ore likely it is #ecause he is the Stoic cos&ologist5 He tells us +here and +ho +e
are as +e &ake our +ay in this li4e5 The one thing he doesn:t tell us is ho+ to study his +ork8 either
+ith the le4t #rain or the right5 (e could look to the 7en &asters +ith their centuries o4 e32erience8 #ut
they don:t ha,e the sa&e &aterial to +ork +ith8 so +e:re 2retty &uch on our o+n here5
I #egin the Heraclitus Study .HS/ 4irst thing in the &orning si3 days a +eek5 I already ha,e a 2lace in
one #edroo& o4 our house +here I can go to &editate5 I kno+ that:s a lu3ury e,eryone doesn:t ha,e8 #ut
I trust you +ill #e a#le to ada2t to your situation +ith a little thought and &oti,ation5 I:,e 4ound that
generally the Heraclitus Study can #e 2racticed 9ust a#out any+here you can #e o44 #y yoursel4 +ithout
a lot o4 distur#ance5 It doesn:t really &atter +hether you:re sitting in a 4a,orite chair at ho&e8 in the
2arked car8 or at the o44ice as long as you can #e alone 4or a#out a hal4 hour5
I4 you:re going to actually &editate in con9unction +ith the Heraclitus Studies you &ay +ant to get
so&e ,oti,e candles8 &atches8 and a large #o+l to ser,e as a ire Bo+l5 That:s +hat I call it any+ay5
The ire Bo+l is sy&#olic o4 +hat +e are doing here5 Heraclitus is the author o4 the -ogos or di,ine
and li,ing 4ire5 That:s +hy I use a candle during the &orning &editation8 #ut o4 course it:s o2tional5
rag&ents ' Co&&entary
Because ,ery 4e+ o4 the Heraclitus 4rag&ents are constructed as Fuestions in the sa&e &anner as the
koan conundru&8 the &ind is not as likely to i&&ediately go searching 4or the ans+er5 There4ore8 in
order to challenge the analytical attitude in the reader all #ut one .R$/ o4 the -eading rag&ents are
re+ritten as Fuestions si&ilar to the style o4 the 7en koan5 The le4t cere#ral he&is2here &ust #e
a+akened #e4ore it can #e dis&issed5
ro& here on +e +ill #e s2eaking less o4 koans and &ore o4 4rag&ents and co&&entary5 To &ake it
easier to re&e&#er8 the t+o 2arts that 4or& our koans +ill #e re4erred to as -eading rag&ents and
Co&&entary .-'C/5 It is reco&&ended that you study t+o each day 4or si3 days according to the
instructions o4 (eek One outlined #elo+5 1t the end o4 C days8 take a day o44 then 4ollo+ the
instructions o4 (eek T+o5 1gain8 a4ter si3 days8 rest 4or a day and #egin (eek Three < and so on until
you ha,e co&2leted (eek i,e5 This 2rogra& is designed to last 4i,e +eeks8 or longer i4 you choose5
(hen or +here you study your -'Cs are u2 to you8 #ut +hat I ha,e done8 +hat I do8 is e32lained
+ithout a lot o4 tireso&e detail in the LNotes ' O#ser,ationsM o4 122endi3 15 14ter you initial study
it:s i&2ortant to return to your -'C +hen you are in di44erent 2laces8 2hysically and &entally5
Ho+e,er8 no atte&2t is &ade to e32lain +hat insights or a+akenings &ay #e achie,ed #y 4ollo+ing
this &ethod o4 study8 #ecause e,eryone is not a22roaching this 2rogra& 4ro& the sa&e le,el o4
2re2aredness5 The &ost s2eci4ic clai& I can &ake +as actually &ade #y Heraclitus &any centuries ago:
"f you do not e&pect the une&pected, you will not find it, for it is hard to be sought out and difficult .7/5
Q Q
$
(eek One
1s you read and conte&2late each -eading rag&ent +hene,er a thought8 any kind o4 thought8 occurs
to you8 no &atter ho+ certain you &ay 4eel it de4ines and e32lains that 4rag&ent8 say LNoPM and do not
continue thinking that thought5 1s Cleary says8 LHoans are geared to incite 4eelings o4 4rustration in the
arrogant8 i&2atient8 2ossessi,e 2art o4 the 2syche8 in order to e32ose the doings o4 this inner tyrant
.JJII/5M Saying NoP to yoursel4 in this 4ashion is si&ilar to the action o4 the +ill in sto22ing all
thought in %neu&a (ill %o+er Meditation5
@ead t+o -eading rag&ents .-s/ each day8 in the 1M and in the %M8 and as &any ti&es as you can
during the day5 "o not 2ut yoursel4 on a ti&eta#le8 as in LI +ill think a#out this koan on the hour e,ery
hour5M >ust tell your su#conscious to recall the koan at rando& ti&es throughout the day5 C1ATION:
"o not engage in this &ental e3ercise +hile o2erating dangerous eFui2&ent5 I:& sure you ha,e sense
enough to a,oid this acti,ity at ina22ro2riate ti&es8 #ut our legal syste& a22reciates including such
+arnings nonetheless5
1nd that:s it5 T+o -eading rag&ents 2er day 4or si3 daysSall t+el,e -s5 "o not read the
co&&entary8 9ust the -5 The co&&entary is reser,ed 4or +eeks three8 4our8 4i,e and on+ard i4 you
+ish to continue this 4or& o4 &editation5 @e2eat the - in your &ind se,eral ti&es throughout the day5
(hene,er analytical thoughts a#out that - enter your &ind8 9ust say NoP It is reco&&ended that you
read the Method through all 4i,e +eeks8 then return to each +eek:s instruction +hen you are ready 4or
that +eek5
(eek T+o
14ter you ha,e gone through all t+el,e -eading rag&ents you are ready to #egin again5 This +eek8 as
you conte&2late each -8 instead o4 saying NoP to any stray thought #ring yoursel4 into a state o4
co&2lete and si&ultaneous &ind4ulness a#out e,erything in your en,iron&ent5 Be a &irror o4
a+areness to e,erything in your 4ield o4 ,ision5 Instead o4 saying NoP8 this ti&e say LNot #lindM and
#ring all into si&ultaneous a+areness5
(hat do +e &ean #y co&2lete and si&ultaneous &ind4ulnessK It &ay hel2 to understand it #y using
the contrast o4 4ocus5 @ight no+8 you:re 4ocusing on these +ords8 one6at6a6ti&e8 on this 2age5 E32and
your a+areness #y 4ocusing on the 2age itsel45 To do that8 you &ust lose your 4ocus on single +ords
and see all o4 the +ords ,isi#le si&ultaneously5 E32and that once again to include the +ords8 the 2age8
and e,erything out to that in,isi#le edge o4 your 2eri2heral ,ision5 "o not &ake any 9udg&ents or
co&2arisons5
This ste2 reFuires a kind o4 &ind4ulness si&ilar to #ut so&e+hat di44erent 4ro& that o4 o4 Stick 1ction
Meditation .S1M/5 There you are #eing &ind4ul o4 your kinesthetic 4unction8 2lus #reathing8 2lus
4ocused ,ision5 No+ you #eco&e si&ultaneously a+are o4 your entire sensory e32erience as it occurs
in this ,ery &o&ent o4 ti&e5
C1ATION: "o not engage in this &ental e3ercise +hile o2erating dangerous eFui2&ent5 I:& sure you
ha,e sense enough to a,oid this acti,ity at ina22ro2riate ti&es8 #ut our legal syste& a22reciates
including such +arnings nonetheless5
)*
1nd that:s it5 T+o -s 2er day 4or si3 daysSall t+el,e -s5 "o not read the co&&entary8 9ust the -5
The co&&entary is reser,ed 4or the ne3t ste2s5 @e2eat the - in your &ind se,eral ti&es throughout
the day8 and +hene,er you think a#out it8 e32and your a+areness out to that in,isi#le edge o4 your
,isual consciousness5 By the end o4 this second +eek you +ill 2ro#a#ly ha,e &e&ori?ed all o4 the -s
+ithout e,en trying5 Eood5
(eek Three
No+ +e go #ack to the #eginning and #egin again5 This ti&e read #oth the -eading rag&ent and
Co&&entary .-'C/ together5 1s #e4ore8 +hile you read and conte&2late each -'C +hene,er a
thought8 any kind o4 thought8 occurs to you8 no &atter ho+ certain you &ay 4eel it de4ines and e32lains
+hat you ha,e 9ust read8 say LNoPM and do not continue thinking that thought5 Eo through all t+el,e
-'Cs8 t+o each day 4or si3 days8 and take the se,enth day o445 Try to &e&ori?e the& as you go5 This
+ill take so&e doing8 #ut it +ill #e +orth the e44ort in ti&e5
(eek our
Eo #ack to the #eginning8 and as #e4ore +hen you conte&2late each -'C8 instead o4 saying NoP to
any stray thoughts #ring yoursel4 into a state o4 co&2lete and si&ultaneous &ind4ulness a#out
e,erything you see and hear in your en,iron&ent5 Be a &irror o4 a+areness to e,erything going on
a#out you5 In 2lace o4 saying NoP8 this ti&e say Not #lind to #ring all into a si&ultaneous 4ield o4
a+areness5 "o not &ake any 9udg&ents or co&2arisons5 Eo through all t+el,e -'Cs8 0 each day 4or
si3 days8 and take the se,enth day o445
(eek i,e ' On+ard
(eek i,e incor2orates the &ethods o4 #oth essence .NoP/ and 4unction .Not #lind/5 In the 4irst 4our
+eeks you ha,e co&2leted the 4oundation 4or this kind o4 study and are ready no+ to decide i4 you
+ish to continue5 ro& no+ on8 +hether you continue one +eek8 one hundred +eeks8 or 4or the rest o4
your li4e8 as you re&e&#er the -'C shi4t #ack and 4orth #et+een NoP and Not #lind5 Cleary says8
LThe 2ur2ose o4 this 4inal ste2 is to culti,ate the a#ility to e32erience the consciousness o4 No and Not
#lind si&ultaneously8 yet to also #e a#le to shi4t #ack and 4orth at +ill to 4ocus on either one8 according
to need: the 2uri4ying and a+akening 4unction o4 No8 or the clari4ying and enlightening 4unction o4 Not
#lind .25 JJIN/5M
Q Q Q
))
The -eading rag&ents ' Co&&entary .-'C/
+ritten #y Heraclitus8 translated #y >ohn Burnett8 and arranged #y Erik (iegardt

LEADI! "RA!#ET $%: (hat scatters and gathersI +hat ad,ances and retires .4*/K
C&##ETARY:
It is +ise to listen not to &e #ut to &y -ogos and ackno+ledge that all things are one .)/5 Cou2les are
things +hole and things not +hole8 +hat is dra+n together and +hat is dra+n asunder8 the har&onious
and the discordant5 The one is &ade u2 o4 all things8 and all things issue 4ro& the one .;!/5
Q Q
L" $': Ho+ does the thunder#olt steer the course o4 all things .0!/K
COMMENT1@=:
(isdo& is one thing5 It is to kno+ the thought #y +hich all things are steered through all things .)$/5
The +ise is one only5 It is un+illing and +illing to #e called #y the na&e o4 7eus .C3/5 The sun +ill not
o,erste2 his &easuresI i4 he does555 the hand&aids o4 >ustice +ill 4ind hi& out .0$/5
Q Q
L" $3: (hy &ust the 2eo2le 4ight 4or its la+ as 4or its +alls .$4/K
COMMENT1@=:
So8 +e should 4ollo+ +hat is co&&on8 yet though &y (ord is co&&on8 the &any li,e as i4 they had a
+isdo& o4 their o+n .!7/5 Thought is co&&on to all .!;/5 Those +ho s2eak +ith understanding &ust
hold 4ast to +hat is co&&on to all as a city holds 4ast to its la+8 and e,en &ore strongly555.!C/5
Q Q
L" $(: Is e,ery #east dri,en to 2asture +ith #lo+s .;;/K
COMMENT1@=:
It is not good 4or &en to get all they +ish to get5 It is sickness that &akes health 2leasantI e,il8 goodI
hunger8 2lentyI +eariness8 rest .$!/5 It is the o22osite +hich is good 4or us .4;/5 Men +ould not ha,e
kno+n the na&e o4 9ustice i4 these un9ust things +ere not .;$/5
Q Q
L" $): Ho+ +ill 4ire in its ad,ance 9udge and o,ertake all things .0C/K
COMMENT1@=:
This cos&os8 +hich is the sa&e 4or all8 no one o4 gods or &en has &adeI #ut it +as e,er8 is no+8 and
e,er shall #e an e,er6li,ing ire8 +ith &easures kindling8 and &easures going out .0*/5 ire is +ant and
e3cess .04/5 1ll things are an e3change 4or ire8 and ire 4or all things8 e,en as +ares 4or gold and gold
4or +ares .00/5
Q Q
L" $*: 1re those +ho slee2 4ello+6+orkers in the uni,erse .!4/K
COMMENT1@=:
The +aking ha,e one +orld in co&&on8 #ut the slee2ing turn aside each into a +orld o4 his o+n .$*/5
1ll the things +e see +hen a+ake are death8 e,en as all +e see in slu&#er are slee2 .C0/5 It is
+eariness to la#or 4or the sa&e &asters and #e ruled #y the& .7!/5 Q Q
)0
L" $7: (hy do gods and &en honor those +ho are slain in #attle .$C/K
COMMENT1@=:
(e &ust kno+ that +ar is co&&on to all8 and stri4e is 9ustice8 and that all things co&e into #eing and
2ass a+ay through stri4e .C)/5 Ho&er +as +rong in saying: L(ould that stri4e &ight 2erish 4ro&
a&ong gods and &enPM He did not see that he +as 2raying 4or the destruction o4 the uni,erse555 .40/5
Q Q
L" $+: 1re eyes and ears #ad +itnesses to &en i4 they ha,e #ar#arian souls .4/K
COMMENT1@=:
The 4ool is 4luttered at e,ery +ord .)*!/5 or +hat thought or +isdo& ha,e theyK They 4ollo+ the
2oets and take the cro+d as their teacher5555 or e,en the #est o4 the& choose one thing a#o,e all others8
i&&ortal glory a&ong &ortals8 +hile &ost o4 the& are glutted like #easts .)*0/5
Q Q
L" $,: Ho+ can one hide 4ro& that +hich ne,er sets .07/K
COMMENT1@=:
Cold things #eco&e +ar&8 and +hat is +ar& coolsI +hat is +et dries8 and the 2arched is +etted .3$/5 It
rests #y changing .7$/5 =ou cannot ste2 t+ice into the sa&e ri,erI 4or 4resh +aters are e,er 4lo+ing in
u2on you .4)/5 Ti&e is a child 2laying8 &o,ing 2ieces in a ga&eI the kingly 2o+er is a childGs .7;/5
Q Q
L" $%-: "o +e ste2 and not ste2 into the sa&e ri,ers +hen +e are and are not .77/K
COMMENT1@=:
Mortals are i&&ortals and i&&ortals are &ortals8 the one li,ing the othersG death and dying the othersG
li4e .C;/5 1nd it is the sa&e thing in us that is Fuick and dead8 a+ake and aslee28 young and oldI the
4or&er are shi4ted and #eco&e the latter8 and the latter in turn are shi4ted and #eco&e the 4or&er .74/5
Q Q
L" $%%: Ho+ is the +ay u2 and the +ay do+n one and the sa&e .C7/K
COMMENT1@=:
In the circu&4erence o4 a circle the #eginning and end are co&&on .C!/5 Eod is day and night8 +inter
and su&&er8 +ar and 2eace8 sur4eit and hungerI #ut he takes ,arious sha2es8 9ust as 4ire8 +hen it is
&ingled +ith s2ices8 is na&ed according to the aro&a o4 each .3C/5 To Eod all things are 4air and good
and right8 #ut &en hold so&e things +rong and so&e right .C*/5
Q Q
L" $%': Ha,e I searched 4or &ysel4 .7C/K
COMMENT1@=:
The &any do not take heed o4 such things as they &eet +ith8 nor do they understand the& +hen they
are taught8 though they think they do .;/5 They are estranged 4ro& that +ith +hich they ha,e &ost
constant intercourse .!!/5 =ou +ill not 4ind the #oundaries o4 soul #y tra,eling in any direction8 so dee2
is the &easure o4 it .C$/5
Q Q Q Q
)3
122endi3 1: Notes ' O#ser,ations
These obser#ations are based upon my own original practice and apply specifically to the wee to
which they are added. -ou may wish read them any time during the appropriate wee as another
perspecti#e on your own practice, or, you may not wish to read them at all. They are offered not as
direction but as information that may or may not be useful.
(EEH ONE
Transition .ee/5 =ou can #egin your Heraclitus Studies Meditation as an e3tension o4 the %neu&a
(ill %o+er Meditation you:,e already #egun5 .=ou ha,e #een doing %neu&a8 rightK/ 1s you sit on your
cushion +ith eyes nearly closed re2eat the -eading rag&ent #y &e&ory as o4ten as desired5 (hene,er
the &ind .le4t #rain/ attaches itsel4 to the &eaning8 say NoP and return to the e&2ty &ind5 (hene,er
the &ind +ander to any to2ic8 say NoP and return to the e&2ty &ind5
I can:t &editate in the a4ternoon or e,ening5 I 9ust 2ro&2tly 4all aslee2 al&ost as soon as I close &y
eyes5 It:s not an old age thing8 I:,e #een that +ay since I 4irst learned to &editate in &y 0*s5 It could #e
that so&e ha,e 9ust the o22osite 2ro#le& and can:t stay a+ake in the early 1M5 These 4olk o4ten 4ind
a4ternoon and e,ening &editation to #e no 2ro#le&5 -i,e according to nature8 your nature5 >ust do the
o22osite o4 +hat I do5 I4 you can:t do sitting &editation in the 1M +ithout 4alling aslee28 +alk5
Because I can:t &editate in the a4ternoon or e,ening that:s +hen I +alk8 as in %aling .editation5
Basically8 +e:,e got sitting and +alking &editation at our dis2osal 4or the Heraclitus Studies5 or our
4or& o4 +alking &editation +e can +alk at +hate,er s2eed is co&4orta#le5 There is a 4or& o4 Buddhist
+alking &editation +here the toe o4 one 4oot touches the heel o4 the other 4oot8 and each ste2 is
incredi#ly slo+5 That:s certainly a great disci2line and 2ractice8 #ut it:s not necessary 4or us here and
no+5 =ou +ill #e getting enough disci2line in another +ay5 >ust +alk5
(alk +here,er you +ant to #e8 2re4era#ly not on city streets +here you ha,e to #e concerned a#out
cars and other o#stacles5 (alk in a 2ark or around your house5 E3ce2t in the &ost e3tre&e +eather you
can do it any ti&e5 @e&e&#er8 the Ani,ersity o4 Oregon +as at one ti&e the 2ree&inent track and 4ield
school in 1&erica8 and that:s in Eugene +here it rains &ost o4 the year5 .I kno+8 #ecause that:s +here I
+ent to graduate schoolSand one o4 the reasons I li,e in San "iego8 Cali4ornia5/ %ut on a hat and coat5
Try to +alk +ith an e&2ty &ind as &uch as 2ossi#le5 =ou can do this and still #e a+are o4 #ushes8
ste2s8 and other o#stacles5 @e2eat your -eading rag&ent as o4ten as you +ish and say NoP +hene,er
you catch yoursel4 thinking a#out the koan or +hat you:re going to ha,e 4or dinner5 Change your inner
&onologue to e&2ty &ind &ode and kee2 +alking5 "on:t +orry a#out distractions such as the +eather8
a singing #ird8 or a 4riendly neigh#or5 =ou:re not in a cocoonI it:s all 2art o4 the 2rocess5 En9oy the& and
kee2 on +alking5 1#out a hal4 hour should do it5
/n where to do the Heraclitus Studies .editation: one could tell one:s secretary to hold all calls and do
your - right in the corner o44ice o4 the !0
nd
4loor o4 your #uilding 9ust #e4ore the Board o4 "irectors
&eeting5 Or8 you could 2ractice in the +oods #y the lake5 I don:t #elie,e there is any one a#solute here
e3ce2t to ha,e a 4e+ &inutes o4 Fuiet and 4ocus8 2re4era#ly +ithout distur#ance8 #ut I:& not a#solutely
sure that is necessary5 1 7en &aster &ight say that a distur#ance at 9ust the right ti&e &ay actually
trigger an Insight5 My 4irst 7en Insight Byears agoD took 2lace a4ter I stood u2 4ro& sitting &editation to
)4
get so&ething out o4 the closet5 (hen I sat #ack do+n again it ha22ened5 So8 I think the 4irst di44erence
#et+een koan or -'C &editation and the usual kind is that one does not need to #e a#solutely
&otionless and dee2ly in+ard to &ake it ha22en5
Q
(EEH T(O
ot 0lind 1ee/5 There is no +ay you can 2ractice the Si&ultaneous Nision to the %eri2hery .SN%/
+ith your eyes &ostly closed5 SN% &ay #e ne+ to you and can #e a little ta3ing at 4irst5 It +as to &e8
2ro#a#ly #ecause I:& old8 and you can:t teach old dogs ne+ tricks5 (ell8 you can8 #ut it:s &ore di44icult5
To #e honest8 I +anted to Fuit hal4+ay through the second +eek8 and &uch o4 the discourage&ent ca&e
4ro& SN%5 It:s actually not so hardI it 9ust 4eels +eird 4or a+hile5
(hen doing SN% no one o#9ect should ha,e greater ,alue or 2ro&inence than another5 Hold it 4or a 4e+
seconds8 then return to nor&al ,ision5 (hen you re2eat the -eading rag&ent and 4ind yoursel4
thinking a#out it8 anything a#out it8 say Not #lind and go into the SN% &ode5 Hold it there 4or as long
as you are co&4orta#le5 "o not Fuit your Heraclitus studies #ecause o4 it5 "o +hat you ha,e to and
2erse,ere5 =ou:ll get it5
Ho+ &any ti&es each day should you re&e&#er the -K There is no 4i3ed nu&#er8 no &ini&u&s or
&a3i&u&s5 The right ti&e to say it to yoursel4 it is +hen you think o4 it < unless it 2o2s into your &ind
+hile negotiating a di44icult stretch o4 rush hour tra44ic5 Then8 it 2ro#a#ly doesn:t hurt to think it8 #ut
don:t do the Not #lind SN%5 I4 you &iss a session8 no +orries5 =ou can &ake it u2 sitting in your 2arked
car or on a toilet seat55 1ny+here5 >ust do it5
1l+ays re&e&#er the 2ro,er#8 LThose +ho are in a hurry do not arri,e5M
Hal4+ay through the second +eek I 4ound that doing the Si&ultaneous Nision to the %eri2hery .SN%/
+as ta3ing on #oth eyes and &ind5 %erse,ering at this 2oint +as di44icult8 &ore di44icult than I thought
it +ould #e8 and the Not #lind 2rocess +as al&ost entirely +ithout re+ard5 So8 I shortened the length o4
ti&e I +ould nor&ally #e &editating8 #oth 4or the 1M sitting and %M +alking &editation5
B-aterD I +as a#le to &editate +ith eyes o2en8 looking at the candle and doing SN%8 4or 3* &inutes5
One i&2ortant thought ke2t co&ing to &ind8 L@e&e&#er to #linkPM The SN% is getting easier 5 5 5 5
Seeing +ith eFual ,alues &akes the ,ision so&e+hat 06"8 rather than 36"5
I ha,e to re&ind &ysel4 to not assu&e that the co&&entary 4ollo+ing the -eading rag&ent de4ines8
e32lains8 or illu&inates5 It &ay8 or it &ay #e a 2arallel or e,en di,ergent 2ath 4ro& the one you ha,e
#egun5 It continues to e3a&ine and test our 4aith and 2atience5
(alking &editation is es2ecially a22ro2riate 4or &ental +orkers +ho need the e3ercise5 I4 you:,e
already done enough 2hysical la#or 4or today take a sho+er8 &ake a cu2 o4 co44ee or tea8 and sit in a
chair in a Fuiet roo&5 I4 you nod o448 stand u25 There:s no reason to +aste your ti&e creating o#stacles
o4 unnecessary harshness5
Q
);
(EEH TH@EE
Ereater clarity +ith s2eci4icity ca&e to &e +hile &editating this &orning:
o2 .%neu&a/
Instead o4 thinking a#out the 4rag&ent8 co&&entary8 or any other thought8 do as you did in %neu&a
Meditation8 #e still and listen to your #reath5 Hee2 a clear and e&2ty &ind5
ot 0lind .S1M/
The 2resent &o&ent5 No 2ast8 no 4uture8 9ust total sensory a+areness o4 this instant in ti&e5 The SN% is
a +ay o4 locking in that a+areness5
#neme5 (hen you learn and kno+ it #y heart you not only &ake it &ore con,enient to recite at all
ti&es and 2laces8 #ut you are &ore nearly &aking it a 2art o4 you5 .neme8 the ancient Stoic e3ercise o4
&e&ori?ation8 is a ,alua#le 2art o4 this 2rocess5 It is not an e32ectation o4 the student o4 7en koans8
their koans and co&&entary are o4ten Fuite lengthy8 #ut +e should ha,e no di44iculty in taking u2 this
2ractice in the study o4 Heraclitus5 BT(8 the old saying a#out learning and kno+ing so&ething #y
heart co&es 4ro& ancient Ereece +here it +as #elie,ed that the seat o4 the intelligence +as in the heart5
1lthough there is no e3act nu&#er o4 ti&es one &ust re2eat the 4rag&ents during the day8 once learned
#y heart the only thing 2re,enting one 4ro& doing it 4reFuently i4 not continually is the interru2tion o4
e&2loy&ent or other &ind6engaging chores5
Q
(EEH OA@
I:& #eginning to #elie,e that the &ain 2ur2ose o4 Not #lind and going into the SN% &ode a22ears to #e
ca2turing the 2resent &o&ent8 the instant o4 No+P SN% is not the goalI it is a techniFue 4or arresting
and gras2ing the &ind and holding it steady in the instant &o&ent5
No+ that I:,e s2ent so&e ti&e &e&ori?ing >ohn Burnett:s translation I a& #eginning to a22reciate his
rhyth&8 cadence8 +ord choice8 e,en L2oetryM in the 4rag&ents5 I:,e e,en changed a cou2le o4 the
LarchaicM +ords #ack to his choice5 They +ork #etter5
Inso&nia e3tends &y day5 In case there is any concern a#out not ha,ing enough ti&e to en9oy the %M
&editation8 the second -'C8 #e4ore going to #ed8 I a& 4inding &ysel4 going o,er the& as I go to
slee2 and at the ti&es o4 a+akening in the &iddle o4 the night5 It:s an e3cellent re&edy 4or ha,ing
trou#le +ith getting to or #ack to slee25
I took a sho+er and sat in a straight6#acked chair on the deck in the shade +ith a cu2 o4 green tea 4or
this a4ternoon:s -'C &editation5 I:,e #een running all day8 2hysically acti,e8 no+ tired8 and couldn:t
see the 2oint o4 +alking around the house 00 ti&es on to2 o4 it all5
Ho+ does one #eco&e a &irror8 and +hat does that &ean8 e3actlyK It &eans that e,erything in one:s
4ield o4 ,ision8 e,en out to the so4t edges o4 the 2eri2hery8 has the sa&e ,alue +ithout e&2hasis5 1
&irror re4lects all things eFually and +ithout 2artiality5 That is +hat SN% does5 1nd8 don:t 4orget to
#reathe occasionally5 1nd #linkP
)C
I:& con,inced there is no #etter +ay to a22reciate Heraclitus 5 5 5 5
Q
(EEH INE
Be a &irror8 a #reathing &irror 5 5 5 5 In HS Meditation #oth analytical and stray thoughts are like s2ecs
o4 dust and s&ears o4 dirt on the Breathing Mirror: o2 cleans the &irror5 ot 0lind holds the &irror
steadily in ,ie+5 3reathin4 sustains and rekindles the ,ision5 This +as the insight and 2lan 4or +eek
4i,e and therea4ter5
This a4ternoon I did the %M Meditation sitting on a chair on the deck looking out o,er the +orld and
Nature #et+een &e and Co+le:s Mountain5 I had the certain 4eeling that this +as as good or #etter than
any inside sacred s2ace or altar or icons8 et cetera5

(hat should +e do +hen +e are are Fuite certain +e ha,e a ne+ understanding o4 an o#scure
4rag&entK It see&s there are t+o things to do: )/ &editate on itI then 0/ create a co&&entary5 The
co&&entary should also #e o#scure5 (hy o#scureK Because this is a 2ath to +isdo&8 not so&e idle
2lay 4or 2arrots or 2rattlers5
The Heraclitus Studies Mediation is an e3ercise in #onding +ith ancient +isdo&8 not 9ust as a thought
#ut also as a 4eeling5
Q Q
)7
122endi3 B: Co&2lete rag&ents o4 Heraclitus
The 4ollo+ing translation o4 the Heraclitus 4rag&ents is #y >ohn Burnett8 0arly 1ree Philosophy8 0nd
Ed5 -ondon: 1da& and Charles Black8 )$*!8 225 )4C6);C5 0ditor2s note3 The original numbering
system has been altered slightly to a#oid the confusing redundancies that were re4uired by scholarship.
(lso, a few of the words ha#e been modified to contemporary usage with the assistance T... 5obinson
and are noted and referenced accordingly.
)5 It is +ise to listen not to &e #ut to &y (ord B6ogosD and to acnowledge that all things are one5
05 Though this (ord is true e,er&ore8 yet &en are as una#le to understand it +hen they hear it 4or the
4irst ti&e as #e4ore they ha,e heard it at all5 or8 though all things co&e to 2ass in accordance +ith this
(ord8 &en see& as i4 they had no e32erience o4 the&8 +hen they &ake trial o4 +ords and deeds such
as I set 4orth8 di,iding each thing according to its nature and sho+ing ho+ it truly is5 But other &en
kno+ not +hat they are doing +hen a+ake8 e,en as they 4orget +hat they do in slee25
35 ools +hen they do hear are like the dea4: o4 the& does the saying #ear +itness that they are a#sent
+hen 2resent5
45 Eyes and ears are #ad +itnesses to &en i4 they ha,e barbarian souls5
;5 The &any do not take heed o4 such things as they &eet +ith8 nor do they understand the& +hen they
are taught8 though they think they do5
C5 555kno+ing not ho+ to listen nor ho+ to s2eak5
75 I4 you do not e32ect the une32ected8 you +ill not 4ind itI 4or it is hard to #e sought out and di44icult5
!5 Those +ho seek 4or gold dig u2 &uch earth and 4ind little5
)*5 Nature lo,es to hide5
))5 The lord +hose is the oracle at "el2hi neither utters nor hides his &eaning8 #ut sho+s it #y a sign5
)05 1nd the Si#yl8 +ith ra,ing li2s uttering gloomy words without adornment or perfume8 reaches o,er
a thousand years +ith her ,oice8 thanks to the god in her5
)35 The things that can #e seen8 heard8 and learned are +hat I 2ri?e the &ost5
)45 555#ringing untrust+orthy +itnesses in su22ort o4 dis2uted 2oints5
);5 The eyes are &ore e3act +itnesses than the ears5
)C5 The learning o4 &any things does not teach understanding8 else +ould it ha,e taught Hesiod and
%ythagoras8 and again Jeno2hanes and Hekataius5
)75 %ythagoras8 son o4 Mnesarchus8 2racticed inFuiry #eyond all other &en8 and choosing out these
+ritings8 clai&ed 4or his o+n +isdo& +hat +as #ut a kno+ledge o4 &any things and an art o4 &ischie45
)!5 O4 all +hose discussions I ha,e heard8 there is not one +ho attains to understanding that +isdo& is
a2art 4ro& all5
)$5 (isdo& is one thing5 It is to kno+ the thought #y +hich all things are steered through all things5
0*5 This +orld BosmosD8 +hich is the sa&e 4or all8 no one o4 gods or &en has &adeI #ut it +as e,er8 is
no+8 and e,er shall #e an e,er6li,ing ire8 +ith &easures kindling8 and &easures going out5
)!
0)5 The trans4or&ations o4 ire are8 4irst o4 all8 seaI and hal4 o4 the sea is earth8 hal4 +hirl+ind555
005 1ll things are an e3change 4or ire8 and ire 4or all things8 e,en as +ares 4or gold and gold 4or
+ares5
035 It #eco&es liFuid sea8 and is &easured #y the sa&e tale as #e4ore it #eca&e earth5
045 ire is +ant and e&cess5
0;5 ire li,es the death o4 air8 and air li,es the death o4 4ireI +ater li,es the death o4 earth8 earth that o4
+ater5
0C5 ire in its ad,ance +ill 9udge and con,ict Bo,ertakeKD all things5
075 Ho+ can one hide 4ro& that +hich ne,er setsK
0!5 It is the thunder#olt that steers the course o4 all things5
0$5 The sun +ill not o,erste2 his &easuresI i4 he does8 the Erinyes8 the hand&aids o4 >ustice8 +ill 4ind
hi& out5
3*5 The li&it o4 East and (est is the BearI and o22osite the Bear is the #oundary o4 #right 7eus5
3)5 I4 there +ere no sun it +ould #e night8 4or all the other stars could do5
305 The sun is ne+ e,ery day5
345 555the seasons8 that #ring all things5
3;5 Hesiod is &ost &enGs teacher5 Men think he kne+ ,ery &any things8 a &an +ho did not kno+ day
or nightP They are one5
3C5 Eod is day and night8 +inter and su&&er8 +ar and 2eace8 e&cess and hungerI #ut he takes ,arious
sha2es8 9ust as 4ire8 +hen it is &ingled +ith s2ices8 is na&ed according to the aroma o4 each5
375 I4 all things +ere turned to s&oke8 the nostrils +ould distinguish the&5
3!5 Souls s&ell in Hades5
3$5 Cold things #eco&e +ar&8 and +hat is +ar& coolsI +hat is +et dries8 and the 2arched is wetted5
4*5 It scatters and it gathersI it ad,ances and retires5
4)5 =ou cannot ste2 t+ice into the sa&e ri,erI 4or 4resh +aters are e,er 4lo+ing in u2on you5
405 Ho&er +as +rong in saying: L(ould that stri4e &ight 2erish 4ro& a&ong gods and &enPM He did
not see that he +as 2raying 4or the destruction o4 the uni,erseI 4or8 i4 his 2rayer +ere heard8 all things
+ould 2ass a+ay555
435 (ar is the 4ather o4 all and the king o4 allI and so&e he has &ade gods and so&e &en8 so&e sla#e
and so&e 4ree5
445 Men do not kno+ ho+ +hat is at ,ariance agrees +ith itsel45 It is a harmony o4 o22osite tensions8
like that o4 the #o+ and the lyre5
4;5 It is the o22osite +hich is good 4or us5
4C5 The hidden harmony is #etter than the o2en5
475 -et us not con9ecture at rando& a#out the greatest things5
4!5 Men that lo,e +isdo& &ust #e acFuainted +ith ,ery &any things indeed5
4$5 The straight and the crooked 2ath o4 the 4ullerGs co&# is one and the sa&e5
)$
;*5 1sses +ould rather ha,e stra+ than gold5
;)5 O3en are ha22y +hen they 4ind #itter ,etches to eat5
;05 The sea is the 2urest and the i&2urest +ater5 ish can drink it8 and it is good 4or the&I to &en it is
undrinka#le and destructi,e5
;35 S+ine +ash in the &ire8 and #arnyard 4o+ls in dust5
;45 555to delight in the &ire5
;;5 E,ery #east is dri,en to 2asture +ith #lo+s5
;C5 Eood and bad are one5
;75 %hysicians +ho cut8 #urn8 sta#8 and rack the sick8 de&and a 4ee 4or it +hich they do not deser,e to
get5
;!5 Cou2les are things +hole and things not +hole8 +hat is dra+n together and +hat is dra+n asunder8
the har&onious and the discordant5 The one is &ade u2 o4 all things8 and all things issue 4ro& the one5
;$5 Men +ould not ha,e kno+n the na&e o4 9ustice i4 these things Bun9ust thingsKD +ere not5
C*5 To Eod all things are 4air and good and right8 #ut &en hold so&e things +rong and so&e right5
C)5 (e &ust kno+ that +ar is co&&on to all and stri4e is 9ustice8 and that all things co&e into #eing
and 2ass a+ay BKD through stri4e5
C05 1ll the things +e see +hen a+ake are death8 e,en as all +e see in slu&#er are slee25
C35 The +ise is one only5 It is un+illing and +illing to #e called #y the na&e o4 7eus5
C45 The #o+ is called li4e8 #ut its +ork is death5
C;5 Mortals are i&&ortals and i&&ortals are &ortals8 the one li,ing the othersG death and dying the
othersG li4e5
CC5 or it is death to souls to #eco&e +ater8 and death to +ater to #eco&e earth5 But +ater co&es 4ro&
earthI and 4ro& +ater8 soul5
C75 The +ay u2 and the +ay do+n is one and the sa&e5
C!5 In the circu&4erence o4 a circle the #eginning and end are co&&on5
C$5 =ou +ill not 4ind the #oundaries o4 soul #y tra,eling in any direction8 so dee2 is the &easure o4 it5
7*5 It is 2leasure to souls to #eco&e &oist5
7)5 1 &an8 +hen he gets drunk8 is led #y a #eardless lad8 tri22ing8 kno+ing not +here he ste2s8 ha,ing
his soul &oist5
705 The dry soul is the +isest and #est5
735 Man is kindled and 2ut out like a light in the night6ti&e5
745 1nd it is the sa&e thing in us that is Fuick and dead8 a+ake and aslee28 young and oldI the 4or&er
are shi4ted and #eco&e the latter8 and the latter in turn are shi4ted and #eco&e the 4or&er5
7;5 Ti&e is a child 2laying8 mo#ing pieces in a game .T5M5 @o#inson trans58 4rag5 R;0/I the kingly
2o+er is a childGs5
7C5 I ha,e searched 4or &ysel45
775 (e ste2 and do not ste2 into the sa&e ri,ersI +e are and are not5
0*
7!5 It is a +eariness to la#or 4or the sa&e &asters and #e ruled #y the&5
7$5 It rests #y changing5
!*5 E,en the 2osset se2arates i4 it is not stirred5
!)5 Cor2ses are &ore 4it to #e cast out than dung5
!05 (hen they are #orn8 they +ish to li,e and to &eet +ith their doo&s S or rather to rest S and they
lea,e children #ehind the& to &eet +ith their doo&s in turn5
!35 1 &an &ay #e a grand4ather in thirty years5
!45 Those +ho are aslee2 are 4ello+6+orkers .in the uni#erse8 T5M5 @o#inson trans58 4rag5 R7;/5
!;5 Thought is co&&on to all5
!C5 Those +ho s2eak +ith understanding &ust hold 4ast to +hat is co&&on to all as a city holds 4ast to
its la+8 and e,en &ore strongly5 or all hu&an la+s are 4ed #y the one di,ine la+5 It 2re,ails as &uch
as it +ill8 and su44ices 4or all things +ith so&ething to s2are5
!75 So +e &ust 4ollo+ the co&&on8 yet though &y (ord is co&&on8 the &any li,e as i4 they had a
+isdo& o4 their o+n5
!!5 They are estranged 4ro& that +ith +hich they ha,e &ost constant intercourse5
!$5 It is not proper to act and s2eak like &en aslee25
$*5 The +aking ha,e one co&&on +orld8 #ut the slee2ing turn aside each into a +orld o4 his o+n5
$)5 The +ay o4 &an has no +isdo&8 #ut that o4 Eod has5
$05 Man is called a #a#y #y Eod8 e,en as a child #y a &an5
$35 The +isest 2erson is an a2e co&2ared to Eod8 9ust as the &ost #eauti4ul a2e is ugly co&2ared to
&an5
$45 The 2eo2le &ust 4ight 4or its la+ as 4or its +alls5
$;5 Ereater deaths +in greater 2ortions5
$C5 Eods and &en honor those +ho are slain in #attle5
$75 (antonness needs 2utting out8 e,en &ore than a house on 4ire5
$!5 It is not good 4or &en to get all they +ish to get5 It is sickness that &akes health 2leasantI e,il8
goodI hunger8 2lentyI +eariness8 rest5
$$5 It is hard to 4ight +ith oneGs heartGs desire5 (hate,er it +ishes to get8 it 2urchases at the cost o4
soul5
)**5 It is #est to hide 4ollyI #ut it is hard in ti&es o4 rela3ation8 o,er our cu2s5
)*)5 1nd it is la+8 too8 to o#ey the counsel o4 one5
)*05 or +hat thought or +isdo& ha,e theyK They 4ollo+ the 2oets and take the cro+d as their teacher8
kno+ing not that there are &any #ad and 4e+ good5 or e,en the #est o4 the& choose one thing a#o,e
all others8 i&&ortal glory a&ong &ortals8 +hile &ost o4 the& are glutted like #easts5
)*35 In %riene li,ed Bias8 son o4 Teuta&as8 +ho is o4 &ore account than the rest5 BHe said8 LMost &en
are #ad5MD
)*45 One is ten thousand to &e8 i4 he #e the #est5
0)
)*;5 The E2hesians +ould do +ell to hang the&sel,es8 e,ery gro+n &an o4 the&8 and lea,e the city to
#eardless ladsI 4or they ha,e cast out Her&odorus8 the #est 2erson a&ong the&8 saying8 L(e +ill ha,e
none +ho is #est a&ong usI i4 there #e any such8 let hi& #e so else+here and a&ong others5M
)*C5 "ogs #ark at e,ery one they do not kno+5
)*75 BThe +ise &anD is not kno+n #ecause o4 &enGs +ant o4 #elie45
)*!5 The 4ool is 4luttered at e,ery +ord5
)*$5 The &ost estee&ed o4 the& kno+s #ut 4anciesI yet o4 a truth 9ustice shall o,ertake the arti4icers o4
lies and the 4alse +itnesses5
))*5 Ho&er should #e turned out o4 the lists and +hi22ed8 and 1rchilochus like+ise5
)))5 One day is like any other5
))05 ManGs character BdaimonD is his 4ate5
))35 There a+aits &en +hen they die such things as they look not 4or nor drea& o45
))45 555that they rise u2 and #eco&e the +ake4ul guardians o4 the Fuick and dead5
));5 Night6+alkers8 Magians8 2riests o4 Bacchus and 2riestesses o4 the +ine6,at8 &ystery6&ongers555
))C5 The &ysteries 2racticed a&ong &en are unholy &ysteries5
))75 1nd they 2ray to these i&ages8 as i4 one +ere to talk +ith a &anGs house8 kno+ing not +hat gods
or heroes are5
))!5 or i4 it +ere not to "ionysus that they &ade a 2rocession and sang the sha&e4ul 2hallic hy&n8
they +ould #e acting &ost sha&elessly5 But Hades is the sa&e as "ionysus in +hose honor they go
&ad and kee2 the 4east o4 the +ine6,at5
))$5 They ,ainly 2uri4y the&sel,es #y de4iling the&sel,es +ith #lood8 9ust as i4 one +ho had ste22ed
into the &ud +ere to +ash his 4eet in &ud5 1ny &an +ho &arked hi& doing thus8 +ould dee& hi&
&ad5
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00