This morning we took our daughter to the Los Angeles County Recorder Office to register her birth. This is what we saw at the entrance. Indeed, Life is made of births and deaths. Each piece of paper has a story of joy or sadness, yet the process seems routine. The most significant events of our lives are recorded in the most insignificant way. The real significance of Life is in the awakening of its deeper dimension, the Deathless as the Buddhist called. it. Most government offices is permeated with a kind of lethargic energy, things move slowly so in the meantime we try to amuse ourselves in the lobby. At the end of a long table, we came upon this most interesting application form. I mean I never know you needed to apply for this but I guess you do! It's the law! Well, the acceptance rate is guaranteed to be 100%. Death, any one? Apply here. Only in LA.... Well, finally, after two hours we got the birth certificate! Once a monk as Zen Master Dasui Fazhen: "How are you when life-death arrives?" The master replied promptly, "When served tea, I take tea. When served a meal, I take a meal." So how do you understand life and death?