Main subject. One day, Chosa went for a walk. After returning, the head monk said, "where have you been?" Chosu. " I have come from walking in the hills" Monk. "where have you been?" Chosu. "first I went following the fragrent grasses, and now I am in pursuit of the falling blossoms" Monk. " you are full of the spring" Chosa. " better than the autumn dews falling on the lotus leaves."
(setcho says, " thank you for your answer")
Better than the autumn dews falling on the lotus leaves.
The dews of autumn represent absolute samahdi. The flower represents positive samahdi. The former is the foundation of zen and must come first in zazen practice, but positive samahdi is samahdi in real life and Is much more highly valued. Hakuin zenji says, "samahdi in real life is a hundred thousand times better, than samahdi in quietude."
Setcho says. " thank you for answer"
The head monks response isn't recorded, but Setcho wants the reader to value Chosa's words correctly.
Case 36. Hekiganroku.
My comments.
After posting this yesterday, I'd like to repost.
This version is from the Kazuki Sekida translation. A different version was brought to light, yesterday by Thomas Cleary.
I read the Cleary version and it was as if the two scholars had been translating different texts, if two scholars, with years of knowledge on zen texts, can be so far apart on their interpretations of one koan, this either suggests that one of them is completely off the mark, or is maybe suggestive of something I have read elsewhere, that states koan are open to interpretation, and no one answer is deemed to be the only correct one.. If this is so, then how are we to trust anyone else's interpretation of the texts, even Cleary or Sekida.
Very interesting.
Im going to try and add the Cleary version, next to this a little later on.
Submitted May 26, 2020 at 12:10PM by transmission_of_mind https://ift.tt/3eeB6qM
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