The Gateless Gate: The Buddha Holds Out a Flower [6th Case]
When Shakyamuni Buddha was at Mount Grdhrakuta, he held out a flower to his listeners.
Everyone was silent.
Only Mahakashyapa broke into a broad smile.
The Buddha said, "I have the True Dharma Eye, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana, the True Form of the Formless, and the Subtle Dharma Gate, independent of words and transmitted beyond doctrine. This I have entrusted to Mahakashyapa."
Mumon's Comment
Golden-faced Gautama really disregarded his listeners.
He made the good look bad and sold dog's meat labeled as mutton.
He himself thought it was wonderful.
If, however, everyone in the audience had laughed, how could he have transmitted his True Eye?
And again, if Mahakashyapa had not smiled, how could the Buddha have transmitted it?
If you say the True Dharma Eye can be transmitted, then the golden-faced old man would be a city slicker who cheats the country bumpkin.
If you say it cannot be transmitted, then why did the Buddha approve of Mahakashyapa?
Mumon's Verse
Holding out a flower,
The Buddha betrayed his curly tail.
Heaven and earth were bewildered,
At Mahakashyapa's smile.
___________________________________________________________________
Wandering Ronin commentary and questions: The buddha once held out a flower to his listeners, and therefore myriad interpretations and complications followed up to this very day. There was form, action and countless thoughts applied regarding the matter at hand. What is there to really understand from this? The flower is the flower regardless of speculation and conceptual reasoning, yet here was the Buddha himself making waves where there were none.
Yet Mahakashyapa smile at once revealed something tacit and ineffable; if presented with the reality in front of us at this time, can we smile in the same way? Not every teaching will come in the form of a demonstration from the World Honored One.
Submitted October 25, 2019 at 07:14PM by WanderingRoninXIII https://ift.tt/2WdHKps
No comments:
Post a Comment