Fire God Looking for Fire

It’s like Superintendent Tse: he had been staying in Fa Yen’s congregation, but had never asked to enter (Fa Yen’s) room (for special instruction). One day Fa Yen asked him, “Why haven’t you come to enter my room?” Tse replied, “Didn’t you know, Teacher, when I was at Ch’ing Lin’s place, I had an entry.” Fa Yen said, “Try to recall it for me.” Tse said, “I asked, ‘What is Buddha?’ Lin said, ‘The Fire God comes looking for fire.’” Fa Yen said, “Good words, but I’m afraid you misunderstood. Can you say something more for me?” Tse said, “The Fire God is in the province of fire; he is seeking fire with fire. Likewise, I am Buddha, yet I went on searching for Buddha.” Fa Yen said, “Sure enough, the Superintendent has misunderstood.” Containing his anger, Tse left the monastery and went off across the river. Fa Yen said, “This man can be saved if he comes back; if he doesn’t return, he can’t be saved.” Out on the road, Tse thought to himself, “He is the teacher of five hundred people; how could he deceive me?” So he turned back and again called on Fa Yen, who told him, “Just ask me and I’ll answer you.” Thereupon Tse asked, “What is Buddha?” Fa Yen said, “The Fire God comes looking for fire.” At these words Tse was greatly enlightened.

Koalazen: the fire god asks for fire, why not realize he’s the fire god?

Now what? Zen masters say to kill buddha if you meet him, and to unmount the donkey after mounting him. Does that mean that you should stop believing you’re a fire god and ask more questions? Here is a bit on asking more questions:

To have seen but not yet penetrated, or to have penetrated but not yet become illumined—among the worthies of the past who investigated for so long, this was called seeking more instruction. To ask for more instruction when you have seen and penetrated, you then must still turn round and round on the words so there will be no doubtful sticking points. When one who has investigated for a long time asked for more instruction, this would be giving a ladder to a thief.

Can you really be deceived by Zen masters or by Zen itself? Should you keep asking until there is no doubt?

Submitted January 27, 2020 at 06:32PM by koalazen https://ift.tt/36vXIPe