Ehu says it ain't your doctrine buddy.

Dahui Shobogenzo case 418

Ehu asked some distinguished clerics, “Walking, standing, sitting, lying down, ultimately what do you consider the Way?”

They answered, “The knower is it.”

He said, “’It cannot be known by knowledge, cannot be recognized by cognition’—how can the knower be it?”

Whatever theories, ideas, or concepts we have, that ain't it.

Some replied, “Nondiscrimination is it.”

He said, “’Be able to distinguish the characteristics of things without moving from the highest truth’—how can nondiscrimination be it?”

Foyan said you must find non-discrimination right in discrimination. Going around denying the usefulness of concepts and cognition, trying to pretend there isn't a difference between white and black, that ain't it.

Some replied, “The four meditations and eight concentrations are it.”

He said, “’The body of Buddha is not constructed and doesn’t fall into any categories’—how can it be in the four meditations and eight concentrations?”

The four meditations may be a reference to a type of religious "protective" meditations based on doctrine, or a reference to the Four Noble Truths. The eight concentrations may be a reference to the Eightfold Path. My googlefu of five minutes didn't give me a conclusive answer. Either way Ehu says get your meditations and concentrations outta here, that ain't it.

Now the whole group shut their mouths.

Dahui said, “’When we’re reviling each other, you may lock beaks; when we’re spitting at each other, you may spray water.'"

This is such a good case. This Ehu guy completely demolishes all of the crap people try to say Zen is. To the point where he shut the mouths of an entire group of "distinguished clerics". With a title like "distinguished clerics" I bet these guys were used to going around spouting doctrine without receiving push back. This is the kind of thing that got the Second Patriarch killed.

Doctrinal answers from these distinguished religious men were all denied. What answers aren't denied? Shouts, slaps, shoes on your head, and kicking over a water pitcher.

What can we get from the accepted answers? Maybe nothing. I think they may be direct demonstrations of enlightenment, only truly understood by another enlightened person.

Submitted February 18, 2023 at 08:33PM by koancomentator https://ift.tt/iFJSPwE