My AI friend and I, discussing Zen (Lol)

Me: Can you give me some more details about where Baotang [Wuzhu] is mentioned in the 1990 edition translated by Thomas Cleary?

ChatGPT: Sure! In the 1990 edition of "The Book of Serenity" translated by Thomas Cleary, Baotang is mentioned in several cases. Here are a few examples:

Case 35: "Baotang said, 'It is like a person up in a tree hanging from a branch by his mouth; his hands grasp no bough, his feet rest on no limb. Someone appears under the tree and asks him, "What is the meaning of Bodhidharma's coming from the West?" If he does not answer, he fails to respond to the question. If he does answer, he will lose his life. At such a time, how should he answer?'" This case is called "Baotang's Three Turning Words" and features Baotang as the speaker.

Case 39: This case is titled "Dongshan's Three Pounds of Hemp" and features Dongshan as the main figure, but Baotang is also mentioned. The case reads: "Dongshan was once asked by a monk, 'When the tree withers and leaves fall, what is it?' He said, 'Body exposed in the golden wind.' Baotang said, 'The three worlds are nothing else.'" In this case, Baotang's response follows Dongshan's original statement.

Case 40: This case is titled "Baotang's Time of Death" and describes the circumstances surrounding Baotang's passing. It reads: "Baotang was ill and the monks asked him, 'Master, how are you?' He said, 'Sun-faced Buddha, moon-faced Buddha.'" This case is also known as "A Diamond Speaks" and is a famous example of a Zen master's last words.

These are just a few examples, but Baotang is mentioned in several other cases throughout the book as well.

I have a 2005 edition of the book (copywrite 1988) sitting on my lap right now but the level and specificity of inconsistency is actually quite interesting. Especially because of how capable ChatGPT has been within certain conversational parameters. Oddly enough, most of the difficulties I've found have been related to seemingly straightforward facts. So, just a word of caution if you're asking for information from AIs about Zen or anything else.

Submitted April 03, 2023 at 07:35AM by wrathfuldeities https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/12a6622/my_ai_friend_and_i_discussing_zen_lol/?utm_source=ifttt