Show Me The Mirror (Line x Line Debate)

I don't know where this comes from or who these people are, but let's forge on anyway since I was volunteered for this.

Junfuno said to Shozan, "About the clear mirror, - I would like you to have a look in it."

• LxLD: Junfuno (according to Blyth) would be Shozan's great uncle or something. "Look in the mirror" is a reference to, among other things, the terms outlined in the Huineng poetry battle. If Zen is seeing the self nature, then look in the mirror. If Huineng's says there is no mirror, then WTF? So the old man is sticking it to the young man.

Shozan said, "Not a glance."

• LxLD: Shozan isn't buying it. He isn't even going to consider it.

Junfuno asked, "Why not?"

• LxLD: Junfuno isn't satisfied, there isn't enough blood on the floor, so he takes another stab.

Shozan siad, "A broken mirror will not again reflect; fallen flowers will not return to the branch.

• LxLD: Shozan is doing two interesting things. First, he's twisting Huineng's rejection of there not being a mirror, sure, there's a mirror, but it's broken. Second, he's saying that the mirror is no longer useful, which is a cutesy way of saying, "I don't have to answer your question twice old man." Shozan then adds the bit about the dead flower, to really put a nail in it. So it's Junfuno that gets cut, but probs he doesn't care. I don't know any other Cases featuring him, but if he shows up here in his old age by name, it's a safe bet he knew what he was up to.

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ewk ^book note ^index - There are several multi-generational themes in Zen, as Zen Masters appear to have spent the first half of their 800 years in China simply sticking it to Buddhists. Buddhists have a mirror, they believe in ritual mirror polishing, and Zen Masters are going to beat them over the head with it whenever possible. Plus, many Zen Masters were former Buddhists, and I think it's reasonable to argue that Zen Masters were interested in exposing Buddhists who were only pretending to study Zen. If we think of the sutras as "half right", then studying the sutras would help some monks get close to Dongshan's standard of "capable of some conversation", but questions that being with "have a look in it" would trip up the unprepared.

Submitted July 18, 2017 at 10:21PM by ewk http://ift.tt/2tCSpdE