negation of truth
it stands in opposition
to that which is not
Sayings of Layman P'ang #11: That Which Is Not Spoken
On another day, the Layman asked, "Will you not tell me something about what is at hand?"
Ch'i-feng said, "I will, as soon as that old codger Mr. P'ang gets here."
The Layman said, "Aren't you up to it today?"
Ch'i—feng said, "That's a 'good question, but why are you asking me?"
The Layman said, "Well done! Well done!"
Instant Zen (Foyan) #6: Not Knowing
Sometimes when I question students, they all say they do not know or understand; they just say they eat when hungry and sleep when tired. What redemption is there in such talk? You even say you are not cognizant of whether the month is long or short, and do not care whether it is a leap year; who understands this affair of yours?
Now I ask you, how do you explain the logic of not knowing? You hear others say this, so you say it yourselves; but have you ever understood that principle of not knowing?
An ancient said, "Not knowing means nothing is not known, nowhere not reached". This is called unknowing so that you people today may reach that unknown state. This is the realm of the sages—how could it be like the blindness and nonunderstanding that people today call not knowing?
If you go on like this always declaring you don't know and are not concerned, how will you communicate if someone questions you? There might be no one to continue on the road of Zen! It won't do to be like this. Make your choice carefully!
Blue Cliff Record #94: The Surangama Scripture's Not Seeing
The Surangama scripture says, "When I do not see, why do you not see my not seeing? If you see my not seeing, naturally that is not the characteristic of not seeing. If you don't see my not seeing/ it is naturally not a thing-how could it not be you? "
The Measuring Tap #19: Nanquan Instructs an Assembly
Nanquan, instructing an assembly, said, "The Way is not outside things; outside of things is not the Way." Zhaozhou came forth and said, "What is the way outside of things?" Nanquan hit him. Zhaozhou said, "Don't hit me - later on you'll hit people by mistake." Nanquan said, "Snakes and dragons are easily distinguished; a Chan monk is hard to fool."
Xuedou cited this and said, "Zhaozhou is like a dragon without horns, like a snake with legs. At that time he should be hit and driven out without concern for the fact that if the law were fully enforced there would be no populace."
The Measuring Tap #43: Benren Teaches an Assembly
Benren taught an assembly, saying, "Usually I don't want to rattle people's sons and daughters before any voice or after any statement. Why? Sound is not sound, color is not color." Then a monk asked, "How is it that sound is not sound?" Benren said, "Can you call it color?" The monk said, "How is it that color is not color?" Benren said, "Can you call it sound?" The monk bowed. Benren said, "Tell me, did I explain for you, answer your question? If you can discern here, I'll grant you have an entry."
Xuedou cited this and said, "Benren is quite strange: basically he's gazing eagerly at the moon in the sky. If not before any voice or after any statement, how can one enter?"
A monk asked, "The one who has entered 'the realm of truth,' does he still know existence?"
Joshu said, "Who has entered 'the realm of truth'?"
The monk said, "If that is so, then the one who has entered 'the realm of truth' does not know how to leave it."
Joshu said, "It is not cold ashes. It is not a dead tree. It is a hundred flowers in colorful bloom."
The monk said, "So this, then, is the state of having entered into 'the realm of truth'?"
Joshu said, "There is no connection at all."
The Measuring Tap #26: Jingqing Questions a Monk
Jingqing asked a monk, "How do you understand Zhaozhou's 'Go drink tea'?" The monk immediately left. Jingqing said, "He imitates a useless walk in Handan."
Xuedou cited this and said, "This monk is not a man of Handan - why does he imitate a useless walk? If you can discern, I'll drink tea with you."
The Master once said, "Meeting someone means nothing other than applying [awakening] while on the way."
Then he held up his staff and said, "The staff is not the way. Neither is talk."
Joshu composed a poem about the wooden drum:
"The four great elements are the creation of nature,
yet what is essential for the sound is the void.
Do not think it strange that this is not preached to the common man.
This tune is different from the common one."
is not the sounding
of a hollow cavity
the sound of the truth
Submitted May 22, 2022 at 01:15AM by eggo https://ift.tt/v3xBQTe
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