Does everything exist, or is everything non-existent?

 

Master Xitang Zang was asked by a layman, "Are there heavens and hells or not?"

He said, "There are."

The layman said, "Do the treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha exist or not?"

He said, "They do."

The layman asked many more questions, and the master answered them all in the affirmative.

The layman said, "Are you not mistaken in saying so?"

He said, "Have you seen an adept?"

The layman said, "I have called on master Jingshan."

He said, "What did Jingshan tell you?"

The layman replied, "He said it's all nonexistent.

The master said, "Do you have a wife?"

The layman said, "Yes."

The master asked, "Does master Jingshan have a wife?"

The layman said "No."

The master said, "For master Jingshan, it's right to speak of nonexistence."

 

- Treasury of the Eye of True Teaching #370

 

 

UExis:

I believe this was the very first case I read, coming to r/zen for the first time around 3,5 years ago.

Back then, I thought: I’m surely the ”it’s all empty” kinda guy. Today, I don’t take a side.

Now, though this case showcases two Zen Masters, one answering in the affirmative and one in the negative, Zen Masters are known to dance between the dualistic nature of linguistics in their conversations.

What’s important to note, when they do so, is: For what reason?

Trolls and wannabe gurus come here and purposely twist conversation, suddenly exclaiming “your argument doesn’t work, cause nothing exist.” They jump from affirmative to negative, only to try and win a battle, when in fact direct truth and seeing your nature are what Zen Masters are on about.

Wannabe Gurus fail to understand this, hence why Joshu said: “When a false person expounds a true doctrine, the true doctrine accordingly becomes false.”

Don’t play that false game, if you’re really, actually here to study Zen.

Submitted April 24, 2021 at 06:30PM by UExis https://ift.tt/3ng2quN