Zen Masters and jerkitude: Is “Don’t be a jerk” good advice?

Thesis: When Dongshan questioned a head monk to death and when Nansen killed a cat they were being jerks.

I asked chatgpt: Is questioning someone to death something a jerk would do?

No, questioning someone to death is not a behavior that can be characterized as being done by a "jerk." It is a cruel and inhumane act that goes beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior, and is never justified.

In the Zen tradition, questioning is seen as an important aspect of spiritual practice and growth, but it should always be done in a respectful and compassionate manner, and should never cause harm to others.

in regards to another question chatgdp answered

The story of Nansen killing a cat is a well-known story in the Zen tradition, but it is not appropriate to describe Nansen as a "jerk" based on this single incident. Nansen was a revered Zen master who made significant contributions to the development of Zen teachings and practices, and his teachings and practices continue to influence Zen practitioners today.

The story of Nansen killing a cat is meant to illustrate the idea that all things, including life and death, are impermanent and constantly changing. In the story, Nansen kills the cat in front of his students to demonstrate that life and death are not separate or permanent states, but rather part of a larger process of change and transformation.

but in my defense I didn’t ask whether Nansen could be called a jerk in general, only whether he could be called a jerk in this instance.

I think back in the day I argued that maybe megalomania and claims of infallibility were natural to buddhas and zen masters or to those that claimed those titles. I believe I used “I alone am the world honored one” as support, as well as the quote “it is hard to fool a patchrobed monk”

Do you think in some antinomial or paradoxical way that they were being kind in these actions? That instead of being cruel they were counter-logically being their most kind and generous? Often times actions of hitting or refusing to give an answer despite desperation are counted as great kindnesses, which are later revealed to the student when they finally reach a realization. But in these cases I don’t think that fits.

I think good simple advice “Don’t be a jerk” should be simple enough though, even for Zennish people. What do you think?

Submitted February 09, 2023 at 07:16AM by 2bitmoment https://ift.tt/yDkNFL3