VII
SATORI, OR ACQUIRING A
NEW VIEWPOINT^
ThHEobjectofZendisciplineconsistsinacquiringanewview-
pointforlookingintotheessenceofthings.Ifyouhavebeen
inthehabitofthinkinglogicallyaccordingtotherulesofdualism,
ridyourselfofitand youmaycomearoundsomewhattothe
viewpointofZen.YouandIaresupposedlylivinginthesame
world,butwhocantellthatthethingwepopularlycallastone
thatislyingbeforemywindowisthesametobothofus?You
andIsipacupoftea.Thatactisapparendyaliketousboth,
butwhocantellwhatawidegapthereissubjectivelybetween
yourdrinkingandmydrinking? Inyourdrinkingtheremay
benoZen,whilemineisbrim-fullofit.Thereasonforitis:you
moveinalogicalcircleandIamoutofit.Thoughthereisin
factnothingnewintheso-callednewviewpointofZen,theterm
"new"isconvenienttoexpresstheZenwayofviewingtheworld,
butitsusehereisacondescensiononthepartofZen.
This acquiringofanewviewpointinZenis calledsatori
{wuinC.)anditsverbformissatoru.Without itthereisno
Zen,forthelifeofZenbeginswith the"openingofsatori".
Satori may be defined as intuitive looking-into, in contra-
distinctiontointellectualandlogicalunderstanding.Whatever
thedefinition,satorimeanstheunfoldingofanewworldhitherto
unperceivedin the confusion ofa dualistic mind. With this
preliminaryremarkIwishthereadertoponderthefollowing
mondo (literally,"asking andanswering"), whichI hop>cwill
illustratemystatement.
AyoungmonkaskedJoshutobeinstructedinthefaithof
Zen.Saidthemaster
:
"Haveyouhadyourbreakfast,ornot?"
"Yes,master,Ihave,"answeredthemonk.
*Thissubjectismorefullytreatedinmy^enEssays,I,pp.215-50,and
alsoinII,pp. 4 ff.