Once a lecturing monk came, and asked, "What Dharma does the Zen school teach?"
The Patriarch asked him, "What Dharma does the Lecture Master teach?"
The lecturer replied, "I have lectured on over twenty sutras and sastras."
The Patriarch said, "Aren't you a lion?"
The lecturer said, "Thank you." Thereupon, the Patriarch hissed. The lecturer said, "That is Dharma."
The Patriarch asked, "What Dharma is it?"
The lecturer said, "It is the lion coming out of a cave."
The Patriarch kept silent. The lecturer said, "That is also Dharma."
The Patriarch asked, "What Dharma is it?"
The lecturer said, "It is the lion in a cave."
Then the Patriarch asked, "When there is neither coming out nor going in, what Dharma is that?" The lecturer had no reply. He then started to leave.
When he reached the door, the Patriarch called him, "Lecture Master!" The lecturer turned his head and the Patriarch asked him, "What is it?" The lecturer had no reply again.
"This stupid lecturer." said the Patriarch.
The lecturer was a clever guy, but a cleverness alone won't take you very far with Mazu. The sutra lecturer choked when confronted.
How about you? When there is neither coming out nor going in, what Dharma is that?
Submitted January 22, 2020 at 08:30PM by ThatKir https://ift.tt/2GaBJmm
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