POINTER
When you see smoke on the other side of a mountain, you already know there's a fire; when you see horns on the other side of a fence, right away you know there's an ox there. To understand three when one is raised, to judge precisely at a glance this is the everyday food and drink of a patchrobed monk. Getting to where he cuts off the myriad streams, he is free to arise in the east and sink in the west, to go against or to go with, in any and all directions, free to give or to take away. But say, at just such a time, whose actions are these? Look into Hsueh Tau's trailing vines.
CASE
Emperor Wu of Liang asked the great master Bodhidharma,1 "What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?”2
Bodhidharma said, "Empty, without holiness.”3
The Emperor said, "Who is facing me?”4
Bodhidharma replied, "I don't know.”5
The Emperor did not understand. 6
After this Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtse River and came to the kingdom of Wei. 7
Later the Emperor brought this up to Master Chih and asked him about it. 8
Master Chih asked, "Does your majesty know who this man is?”9
The Emperor said, "I don't know.”10
Master Chih said, "He is the Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, transmitting the Buddha Mind Seal.”11
The Emperor felt regretful, so he wanted to send an emissary to go invite Bodhidharma to return. 12
Master Chih told him, "Your majesty, don't say that you will send someone to fetch him back.13 Even if everyone in the whole country were to go after him, he still wouldn't return."14
NOTES
1. This dull fellow speaks up.
2. What a donkey-tethering stake this is.
3. Wu considered this answer rather extraordinary. The arrow has flown past Korea. Very clear.
4. Wu is filled with embarrassment, forcing himself to be astute. As it turns out, he gropes without finding.
5. Bah! His second reply isn't worth half a cent.
6. Too bad! Still, he's gotten somewhere.
7. This wild fox spirit! He can't avoid embarrassment. He crosses from west to east, he crosses from east to west.
8. A poor man thinks about an old debt. The bystander has eyes.
9. Wu should chase Master Chih out of the country too; Chih should be given thirty blows. Bodhidharma has come.
10. After all this is Emperor Wu's understanding of Bodhidharma's public case.
11. Chih explains haphazardly. The elbow doesn't bend outwards.
12. After all, Bodhidharma couldn't be held. As I said before, Wu is dull.
13. When someone in the eastern house dies, someone of the western house joins in the mourning. Better they should be all driven out of the country at once.
14. Again Master Chih deserves thirty blows. He doesn't know that the great illumination shines forth from under his own feet.
NOTES FROM AN 🦉
This is what should be the most famous Zen Koan of them all. If you consider yourself a student of the game, then take this one under consideration, and really try to penetrate the meaning of the text.
After all, this is nothing more or less, than the highest meaning of the holy truths.
Let’s point out a few interesting points brought up in this case, that all Zen students should know.
1.) What is a Koan?
Due to either evangelical misrepresentation or western starry eyed confusion, there has been a misconception that Koans are intended to be paradoxical head scratchers that you can’t understand with normal logic.
Consider note 10 to find the actual definition of a Koan.
10. After all this is Emperor Wu's understanding of Bodhidharma's public case.
Koans are public cases. Analogous to a court record, a Koan is a public discourse between multiple people, one or more being a Zen master.
The format tends to follow, question posed, question answered.
2.) Is Bodhidharma being honest when he answers the questions posed?
This is a very important question that we must reckon with if we truly wish to study Zen.
The answer, of course, is yes. Zen Masters are exceptionally honest people.
Do not read the Texts as if these Zen Masters are trying to deceive or mislead you!
When Bodhidharma says, “Vast emptiness, nothing holy”, is the highest truth, he means it!
He cannot explain it with more clarity, it is up to you to find the truth within yourself.
As if to drive the point home, consider the irreverence with which the author handles these legendary figures of yore.
Bodhidharma is a dull fellow, he’s a wild fox spirit who is intent on embarrassing himself, moving to and fro as he does.
The Emperor is a dull fellow as well, likewise called poor and implied to lack understanding.
As for Master Chih.... He deserves blows until the staff breaks, and to be driven from the country.
What sort of Buddhism is all this? Nothing short of the true Buddhism.
What’s the purpose of all of this Zen study anyways?
Getting to where he cuts off the myriad streams, he is free to arise in the east and sink in the west, to go against or to go with, in any and all directions, free to give or to take away.
If you say there is a goal, you’re stuck fast. That’s not the way of a patchrobed monk.
Submitted April 27, 2021 at 08:55PM by Owlsdoom https://ift.tt/3eGq6oi
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