Recently, Steven Seagal was proclaimed the reincarnation of a 17th-century high Lama. A huge controversy sprang up; many people thought that the religion was selling itself out. I think that a mistake has been made. Steven Seagal is...well... unenlightened, to say the least. I, for one, would not be in the least surprised if the Dalai Lama apologized profusely, and informed Fred Rogers that he, in fact, was the Supremely Enlightened one.

     When the Zen Master Gutei was asked a question, he would reply by lifting an index finger. Another Master kicked a ball. Another slapped the questioner. Mr. Rogers smiles beatificaly and answers the question.
Rogers spreads his wisdom to children by asking subtle koans; the more traditional Zen koans--What is the sound of one hand clapping, What did your face look like before your parents were born, Does a dog have Buddha-nature-- these are echoed by Rogers, who asks more laid-back questions: How would you listen to a fish, Can anyone else over be you, Isn't it a good feeling to be alive?

     Think about the similarities of his words to those of Zen students; one Western Zen student was asked, after training for seven years, what Zen training leads to. He replies: "No paranormal experiences that I can detect. But you wake up in the morning and the world seems so beautiful that you can hardly stand it." Compare that to Rogers: "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood...wake up in the morning and say: I think I'll make a snappy new day ...won't you be my neighbor?" This is a man who is one with his surroundings, be they the Potala in Lhasa or suburban Pittsburgh.

     Think about Mr. Rogers' childlike delight in even the most simple of tasks: whether it is tying his shoes, feeding his goldfish, or getting his mail. Mr. Rogers seems to genuinely enjoy everyday life. When one watches his show, one is reminded of the Zen poem,