Distinguishing guest and host

For a long time, I wasn't sure what to make of Linji's guest and host, and I suspect it's not just me, but a lot of people who are a bit confused by it. I stumbled upon a pretty simple way to understand it though: In modern China, it is customary that if you're invited as a guest, you bring a gift. The guest brings a gift, the host receives a gift. I don't really know if it's already been this way in medieval China, but I think it's a fun way to see host and guest nonetheless.

Since the family custom of Zen is "Having nothing inside, seeking nothing outside" (Zhaozhou), the Zen masters tend to be the host, as they have no gifts to give to people. However, the master can also act like a guest to test the student.

Let's check Linji's explanation of guest and host and see if it makes sense:

If there is a true student, he will immediately shout, first setting forth a bowl of glue. If the teacher doesn't discern this as an object, then he goes to that object and acts in various ways. The student then shouts, but the former will not agree to let go. This is a mortal disease, and cannot be cured; it is called a guest looking at a host.

Here, the student comes as a guest to test the understanding of the teacher. He brings something as a gift, his shout and the bowl of glue. He tests, if the teacher can let go of it, but he can't, and has thus been exposed by the student. The host has been seen through by the guest. This shows that guest and host isn't a matter of rank. A guest can see through the host, exposing the host's lack of understanding.

Or it may be that the teacher doesn't bring anything out, but just follows the student's questions to dispossess him. The student, being dispossessed, won't let go till the death. This is host looking at guest.

The teacher doesn't bring anything out, acting as the host, ready to receive gifts. The student brings a gift, but won't let go of it. A good guest actually needs to hand over the gift to the host, not take it back home. Thus, the student has been seen through by the host.

Or there may be a student who comes before the teacher in a state of purity. The teacher, discerning that this is an object, takes it and throws it into a pit. The student says, 'Good teacher!' Then the teacher says, 'Bah! You do not know good from bad.' The student then bows. This is called host looking at host.

The student comes in a state of purity, not bringing anything with him. He's coming as a host. The teacher also doesn't bring anything up, he also assumes the role of the host. The teacher takes away the students state of purity. They both recognize each other as hosts.

Or there may be a student who comes before the teacher wearing stocks and bound with chains. The teacher adds an­ other layer of stocks and chains, and the student rejoices; neither of them are discerning. This is called guest looking at guest.

Sometimes a students brings a gift, but the teacher lacks understanding and gives gifts in return. The student rejoices, having received some great teaching or insight. Both act as a guest and expose their ignorance. Or maybe the students comes with chains to test the teacher, and the teacher sees through that and adds more chains intentionally. Maybe both see the humor in this interaction.

So, as the author of this post, am I coming as the guest or the host?

Submitted April 03, 2023 at 12:42PM by moinmoinyo https://ift.tt/G5q6msR