A Half-Remembered Zen Poem and a Definitely Apocryphal (Also Half-Remembered) Anecdote of Hōnen

There are two gems I carry around, both of which I have misremembered, and both of which I have lost the original source for — let me know if you know of either of these (or things that sound similar).

First, is a Zen (Chan?) poem I read on a very Web 1.0 website (it had frames!), with two lines something like:

Sit down
and take the last 1,000 years off your shoulders

(I’m not a poet.)

Secondly, is an anecdote of Hōnen that is almost certainly apocryphal, and probably quite modern. I think I heard it on a YouTube dharma talk from a Shin Buddhist priest, but I haven’t been able to find it since.

The anecdote is something like:

A disciple approaches Hōnen and asks,
“Is the Pure Land real or a state of mind?”
Hōnen turns and replies,
“Let’s go there and find out.”

Peace,
⭕

---

---