Someone asked Zen Master Ts'ao-shan, "How should I take charge [of the mind] all day long?
Ts'ao-shan answered, "When passing through a village where there's an epidemic, don't let even a single drop of water touch you."
Commentary
We're awash in the epidemic poisons of anger, ignorance, and desire. How can we not be touched?
Source: The Roaring Stream, edited by Nelson Foster and Jack Shoemaker
Photo by Tanya Puntti
Case 1
Ch'ang-ch'ing and Pao-fu were wandering in the hills. Pao-fu pointed to the top of the hill where they were standing and said, "Right here is the top of Mount Sumeru."
Ch'ang-ch'ing said, "Yes, that's true, but a pity."
Case 2
A monk asked Chao-chou, "What is the lone summit of Mount Sumeru?
Chao-chou said, "I won't answer that question of yours."
The monk said, "Why won't you answer my question?"
Chao-chou said, "I'm afraid that if I answered you, you would fall to flat ground."
Commentary
As Zen Master Seung Sahn used to say, "Mouth number one problem gate." Why can't we just stand our ground?
Source: The Gateless Barrier, by Robert Aitken, Roshi
Photo by Rick Harrison
The Korean Zen Master Hyo Bong gave a dharma speech in which he said:
There is a gate.
From the East, this gate looks like the West Gate.
From the West, this gate looks like the East Gate.
From the South, it looks like the North Gate, and from the North, it looks like the South Gate.
The three worlds of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and eminent teachers are all coming and going through this gate. How do you go through this gate?
Holding his stick in a moment in silence, he hit the table and said, "If you come through this gate, I will hit you. If you go through this gate, I will also hit you. What can you do?
Commentary
About this koan, Zen Master Seung Sahn said, "Don't make anything, don't make anything. If you open your mouth, you have already passed through the gate to hell."
Exactly what kind of gate is Zen Master Hyo Bong describing? How does this "gate" appear in daily life? When we live in fear and defensiveness, thinking and delustion, we cannot go through this gate - Hyo Bong Sunim will hit!
But if we can unfold our lives, moment by moment, then the four directions fall away and we can walk through any gate. For me - easier said than done!
Source: Whole World Is A Single Flower by Zen Master Seung Sahn
Photo by Tambako the Jaguar
Yangqi Fanghui (992-1049) was a student of Shishuang Chuyuan and founded the Yangqi branch of the Linji school of Zen. All extant schools in the Linji line descend froom the Yangqi branch.
One time, when a monk arrived, Yangqi said to him, "The leaves fall and the clouds gather. Where did you come from today?"
The monk said, "From Kwan Yin."
Yangqi asked, "How would you say one word from beneath Kwan Yin's heels?"
The monk said, "I've just arrived to see you."
Yangqi said, "What is that you've seen?"
The monk didn't answer.
Yangqi said to a second monk who had also come, "You! Can you say something for this practitioner?"
The second monk didn't answer.
Yangqi said, "Here are a couple of dumb horses."
Commentary
The bodhisattva shows no compassion to those who cannot walk in her shoes.
Source: Zen's Chinese Heritage, by Andy Ferguson
Photo by .leila
Shoushan Xingnian (926-993) was a dharma heir of Fengxue Yanzhao. One day a monk came to him and said, "I have long been submerged in delusion. I ask the master to receive me as a student."
Shoushan said, "I don't have time for that."
The monk asked, "How can the master act in this manner?"
Shoushan said, "If you want to practice, practice. If you want to sit, then sit."
Commentary
Zen Master Seung Sahn always told his students: "Just do it!" It's a good direction for everyone, including shoe companies.
Photo by Jon Fife
Tung-shan asked Yun-chu, "Where have you been?"
"I've been walking the mountains," replied Yun-chu.
"Which mountain was suitable for residing on?" asked the Master.
"None was suitable for residing on," said Yun-chu.
"In that case, have you been on all the country's mountains?" said the Master.
"No, that isn't so," said Yun-chu.
"Then you must have found an entry path," said the Master.
"No, there is no path," replied Yun-chu.
"If there is no path, I wonder how you have come to lay eyes on this old monk," said that Master.
"If there were a path, then a mountain would stand between us, Ho-shang," said Yun-chu.
Tung-shan said, "Henceforth, not by a thousand, not even by ten thousand people, will Yun-chu be held fast."
Commentary
When we find the path that is no path, where can we travel?
Source: The Roaring Stream, edited by Nelson Foster and Jack Shoemaker
Photo by Bianca
Dogen Zenji said:
To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe.
Commentary
How do you study the Way? How do you study the self? How do you forget the self?
Source: Moon in a Dewdrop, edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi
Photo by Tom
One time the great Chinese Zen master, Lin-chi, addressed the assembly as follows:
A monk asked Zen Master Zhaozhou, "What about when I don't have anything?"
