Huang po vs Joshu

On the Transmission of Mind (Huangbo) #1: 1

"The Master said to me: All the Buddhas and all sentient beings are nothing but the One Mind, beside which nothing exists. "

Gateless Gate #1: JOSHU’S DOG

A monk once asked Joshu, "Has a dog the Buddha-Nature? Joshu answered，"Mu!" (No)

T. O. M's comment.

Huang po here, clearly states that all sentient beings are nothing but the One mind..

Which begs me to question Joshus answer of "Mu" to the questioner asking if the dog has Buddha nature.

I guess the first step is to ascertain if a dog is a sentient being or not, so, here is the definition.

Sentient.

1: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions . 2 : aware. 3 : finely sensitive in perception or feeling

The Case That Dogs Might Be As Sentient As Humans

According to a study carried out by the neuroeconomics professor and author Gregory Berns, there is evidence to suggest that dogs are self-aware. ... Berns found that dogs can feel positive emotions just like a small child would.

I am a dog owner, and of course, as such I know that dogs have positive and negative emotions, and are aware of lots more than we give them credit for..

So, yes.. A dog is sentient.

So, by that rationale, and by Huang po's statement, we can say that a dog is nothing but the One mind..

If we are to say that Joshus "Buddha nature" , is the same as Huang po's " One mind"then we cannot accept the literal meaning of" Mu" as being no..

Here is a translation of Mu.

The word 'mu' is actually from Chinese, meaning 'nothing'; it is used in mainstream Japanese in that sense. In Chinese it can also mean “have not” (as in “I have not done it”), or “lack of”, which may or may not be a definite, complete 'nothing').

Is Joshu replying "No" as in a straight answer to the question, or is he saying "Nothing" which would certainly tie in with Huang po's definition of the one mind, as being " without beggining, without end, Unborn and indestructible, and transcending all limits"

Peace?

Submitted April 15, 2021 at 12:26PM by transmission_of_mind https://ift.tt/2RFINk9