Five Houses of Zen: Dongshan First to the Top

https://www.amazon.com/Five-Houses-Shambhala-Dragon-Editions-ebook/dp/B00WT66SIG This is a random collection of various teachers from the various lineages.

Dongshan is called the first of the Soto Caodong school of Zen.

Dongshan asked a monk, "Where have you come from?" The monk replied, "From a journey to a mountain." Dongshan asked, "And did you reach the peak?"

The monk said, "Yes." Dongshan asked, "Was there anyone on the peak?" The monk answered, "No."

Dongshan said, "Then you didn't reach the peak." The monk retorted, "If I didn't reach the peak, how could I know there was no one there?"

Dongshan said, "I had doubted this fellow."

.

Welcome! ewk comment: Are they talking about an actual mountain? Why use metaphor? What does it mean that nobody was there?

Why did Dongshan doubt the fellow?

What assuaged his doubts?

Submitted June 01, 2022 at 05:29AM by ewk https://ift.tt/V1EQ7hZ