~|~|~|~ YUNMEN ~|~|~|~
("Master Yunmen: From the Record of the Chan Teacher "Gate of the Cloud", By: Urs App)
(#22, p. 94)
~|~ Introduction ~|~
GS: Was reading this passage today and it seemed like a good response to those wondering how Zen is a "transmission outside the scriptures" and yet the Masters seem to quote everything under the sun: scriptures, poems, songs, memes, each other.
There are many who wonder how the sidebar can say "separate transmission outside the teachings" and then someone says "Can't quote Zen Masters; can't talk about Zen" or someone says "Zhoazhou says 'Mu' " and there is no hypocrisy.
I'll let Yunmen explain:
~|~ Text ~|~
The Master said:
“I have no choice; if I tell you that right now nothing is the matter, I have already buried you. However much you want to make progress and seek intellectual understanding by looking for words and chasing after phrases and setting up questions and inquiries by means of a thousand differences and myriad distinctions: it just brings up a glib tongue and leads you further and further from the Way. Where is there an end to this?”
“If this very matter could simply be found in words—the three vehicles’ twelve divisions of teachings certainly do not lack words, do they?—then why would one speak of a ‘transmission outside the scriptural teachings’? If wisdom were a function of studying interpretations, it would merely be like that of the saints of the ten stages who, though disseminating the Dharma as [plentifully as] clouds and rain, were still severely reprimanded [by the Buddha] because they perceived their self-nature as if through a veil of gauze. Hence we know that any kind of ‘having mind’ is far away [from what is at stake here] as the sky from the earth.”
“However, when someone gets there, speaking about fire does not burn his mouth. He can discuss the matter all day long without it ever touching his lips and teeth and without uttering a single word. Though he eats and all day long wears his robe, he never touches a single grain of rice nor a single thread [of cloth].”
“Anyway, this is still only talk about our teachings; but you must really make them yours! If within these walls a phrase packs a punch, then you will ponder in vain. Even if you can accept some statement as you hear it, you’re still daydreamers.”
At the time a monk asked, “How about such a phrase?”
The Master replied, “Brought up.”
~|~ Commentary ~|~
GS: It’s said that “those who have practiced a long time know where it comes down as soon as it's brought up." That's my understanding of what Yunmen is saying here in his response to the monk, but I would be really interested in having that checked against the original text.
Oh well; another dream for another day.
Submitted January 05, 2020 at 02:02AM by GreenSage45 https://ift.tt/36r6nU1
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