If you always cultivate, you can't avoid teaching.

When Ch'an Master Wei-yen of Yao-shan went to see Shih-t'ou for the first time, he asked, "I have some knowledge about the three vehicles and the twelve divisions of the teaching. I have also often heard about the Southern School's teaching of directly pointing to the mind, perceiving the nature, and becoming a Buddha.This is something I have not been able to understand. May the Venerable be compassionate enough to instruct me."

Shih-t'ou said, "Thus will not do; not thus will not do; either thus or not thus, none will do. What can you say?" Yao-shan was unable to understand. Shih-t'ou said, "Your affinities are not here. Go to the Great Master Ma."

Yao-shan did as he was instructed, and went to see the Patriarch. When he arrived, he bowed respectfully and asked the same question. The Patriarch said, "Sometimes I teach to raise the eyebrows and blink the eyes; sometimes I don't teach to raise the eyebrows and blink the eyes. Sometimes raising the eyebrows and blinking the eyes is correct; sometimes raising the eyebrows and blinking the eyes is not correct. How do you understand this?" ON hearing this Yao-shan had an awakening. He bowed to the Patriarch who asked him, "What did you realize so that you are bowing?"

Yao-shan said, "When I was with Shih-t'ou, I was like a mosquito trying to bite an iron ox."

The Patriarch said, "Since you are like this, take good care of it."

Yao-shan stayed with the Patriarch for three years acting as his attendant. One day the Patriarch asked him, "What have your views been recently?"

Yao-shan replied, "All skin has completely come off. There is only one true reality."

The Patriarch said, "What you have attained harmonizes with your mind and is displayed in your four limbs. Since that is so, you can tie three strips of bamboo around your stomach and become the head of a community."

Yao-shan said, "How could I dare to assume that I can become the head of a community?"

The Patriarch said, "That is not so. There has been no one who has always cultivated without starting to teach; there has been no one who has taught without having cultivated himself. If you wish to bring benefits, then there are no benefits. If you wish to act, there is nothing to be done. You should be like a boat. Don't stay here for too long." Soon after this Yao-shan left the Patriarch.

...

So the choice isn't do you teach or not. If you cultivate you'll inevitably teach.

The choice is, do you cultivate?

Even if it is a boy of seven years, if he is better than me, I will ask for his teaching. Even if it is a man of a hundred years, if he is not as good as me, I will instruct him.

Joshu

Submitted August 02, 2016 at 08:07PM by tostono http://ift.tt/2at3PtU

Zenmonki Is Wrong (And So Are We All)

https://youtu.be/NRgce1is4I0

Submitted August 02, 2016 at 07:34PM by notonenottwo http://ift.tt/2asYRgT

The blind man and his lantern

Long long time ago in China, a blind man was at his friend's house chatting until late at night. When he was about to leave, his friend gave him a lantern.

"Why would I need a lantern?" he exclaimed. "I can't see anyway!"

"It's not for you to see," the friend explained. "It is dark outside. The lantern will allow other people to see you coming."

So the blind man took the lantern and made his way towards home. Halfway through, someone knocked into him.

"Are you blind?!" the blind man shouted. "Can't you see my lantern?"

"For goodness sake," the someone replied, "the fire in your lantern is long gone!"

Submitted August 02, 2016 at 02:28PM by chintokkong http://ift.tt/2ax5mgQ

The Paradox and Annihilation of ewk.

There is a inherent paradox to ewk's criticism on certain content on this sub. He calls such a content religious or New Age. But consider the fact that if all his criticism would be taken into account and people would act according to it, he and this sub would be annihilated in an instant.

If you want to annihilate ewk just act according to his framework of how this sub and visitors should function and he will annihilate himself.

What are we going to talk about if this sub functions according to his framework? are we going to talk about the fact that there is nothing to obtain? that we there is no distinction between Buddhas and sentient beings?

Everything is already spelled out, there is nothing to talk about. Zen is not like any subject where new discoveries are made or where discussion is possible for everything has already been said and written down what there is to say by Zen Masters.

It is like the existence of the police force. The police force's goal is the annihilation of crime, but if crime would cease to exist then the police force would also cease to exist. The police's force goal is its own annihilation. Ewk's framework is his own annihilation.

Submitted August 02, 2016 at 12:32PM by Kyuu-bi http://ift.tt/2awgJFv

Shuzan's Bamboo Spatula– Mumonkan Case 43

Case

Shuzan held out his short staff and said: "If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. Now what do you wish to call this?"

Commentary

If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. It cannot be expressed with words and it cannot be expressed without words. Now say quickly what it is.

Verse

Holding out the short staff, He gave an order of life or death. Positive and negative interwoven, Even Buddhas and patriarchs cannot escape this attack.

Submitted August 02, 2016 at 12:40PM by planetbyter http://ift.tt/2aIVGTC