The engagement of the reader like this may show that Yuanwu thinks of the lesson(s) being taught as at least secondary to the mechanics which leads someone to the ideas being found / understood. Like when a teacher asks a question in class instead of giving the answer. This shows that the teacher is interested in the student more than just knowing a fact - a piece of trivia - in that moment. Any strict elucidation of the idea at the beginning would deny the learning of the mechanics, and thus be a disservice to the student further in life.
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Welcome! ewk comment: This is another example of how Zen culture differs from religion and philosophy, and school culture...
Religion and philosophy are in the business of providing answers. School is in the business of encouraging learning... but Zen is, as Nanquan put it, not:
Nanquan said, "The Way does not belong to knowing or not knowing. To know is to have a concept; to not know is to be ignorant. If you truly realize the Way of no doubt, it is just like the sky: wide open vast emptiness. How can you say 'yes' or 'no' to it?"
There appears to be a problem with Brian's interpretation then... if yes/no are not it, then the underlying mechanism of "yes'ing" and "no'ing" aren't it either... learning the mechanics would be just as off target as learning an answer. Asking a question would be just as off target as memorizing a quote.
This three way clash of cultures between Zen and religion/philosophy and education is evident everywhere once you know to look for it. What about before you know?
Submitted February 25, 2022 at 08:12AM by ewk https://ift.tt/c45JPsQ
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