放下著
ほうげじゃく / Hōge Jaku
Hōge Jaku (放下著) Meaning
Meaning
Hōge jaku means "Throw it down!" or "Let it go!" Hōge is to put down or cast aside, and jaku is a particle that turns it into an emphatic command. In Zen it points to letting go not only of possessions, but of worries, attachments, and even the proud idea that you are holding nothing at all.
Origin
The phrase comes from a dialogue between the Tang-dynasty Chinese Zen master Zhaozhou (Jōshū in Japanese) and a monk known as Yanyang. It appears in the Record of Zhaozhou and is taken up as Case 57 of the Book of Equanimity (Shōyōroku), a classic collection of Zen dialogues. Yanyang asked, "When I come carrying not a single thing, what then?" Zhaozhou said, "Throw it down." Yanyang protested, "If I have nothing, what is there to throw down?" Zhaozhou replied, "Then carry it away with you." The monk's very pride in having nothing was the burden he still carried.
How it helps with everyday worries
Maybe you keep replaying a mistake at work that is already over, or you carry a friend's careless remark with you until bedtime. The weight we carry in our minds is invisible, so we often don't notice we're holding it. Hōge jaku invites you first to notice that you are gripping something, and then simply to open your hand. You don't have to solve the problem right away; just setting it down for a moment can loosen your shoulders a little. The story also offers a gentle twist: even the thought "I've let go" or "I'm not attached" can become one more thing to carry. So there is no need to blame yourself for struggling to let go. You can set down the effort of letting go, too. Seen this way, anxiety and regret become a bit easier to live alongside.
A small practice for today
Clench both fists and count to five, then slowly open your hands as you breathe out. As you do, bring to mind one thing weighing on you and imagine setting it down along with your hands.