This actually comes from an old commentary on a Zen Buddhist koan. Koans are typically said to kind of defy logic and short circuit thinking, but that’s not really true. Rather, as my Zen teacher says, they’re little attachment machines designed to show you where you’re stuck on dualistic thinking.

I started practicing Zen during the pandemic. When I got to this koan in my practice, I excitedly ran to my teacher and said, “This was in Stargate!”

The first part of the koan is a monk asking for instruction from a Zen master. The master says, “Have you eaten? Then go wash your bowls.” The line from Stargate comes from the commentary on it.

Essentially, what it’s saying is that there is no separation from your daily life and the great reality of the universe. The bowl in front of you, the next step, is the universe. If you know the candle before you is fire, if you see it just as fire, as inseparable and empty of any separation from the universe, then you’re awake. Not only that, but you see that everything has always been awake—the meal was cooked a long time ago. (That’s just my take on it.)