An introduction to Zen Buddhism

(lu) #1
THE KOAN

approachablethroughits rationality;whateverdoubtordiffi-

cultywemayhavehadaboutitdissolvesitselfbypursuingthe

naturalcurrent ofideas. All riversaresureto pourintothe

ocean;butthekoanisan ironwallstanding inthewayand

threateningtoovercomeone'severyintellectualefforttopass.

WhenJoshusays"thecypress-treeinthecourtyard",orwhen

Hakuinputsout hisonehand,thereisnologicalwaytoget

aroundit.Youfedasifyourmarchofthoughthadbeensud-

denlycutshort.Youhesitate,youdoubt,youaretroubledand

agitated, not knowinghow tobreakthrough thewall which

seems altogether impassable. When this climax is reached,

yourwholepersonality,yourinmostwill,yourdeepestnature,
determinedtobringthesituationtoanissue,throwsitselfwith
nothought ofselforno-self,ofthisorthat,direcdyand un-
reservedly against the iron wall of the koan. This throwing
yourentirebeing against the koanunexpectedly opens upa


hithertounknownregionofthemind.Intellectually,thisisthe

transcendingofthelimitsoflogical dualism,butat thesame
timeitisaregeneration,theawakeningofaninnersensewhich
enablesonetolookintotheactualworkingofthings.Forthe
firsttimethemeaningofthekoanbecomesclear,and inthe


samewaythatoneknowsthaticeiscoldandfreezing.Theeye

sees, theearhears, tobesure,butitisthemindasawhole

thathassaiori;itisanactofperception,nodoubt,butitisa


perceptionofthehighestorder.HereUesthevalueoftheZen

discipline, asitgives birthtothe unshakableconvictionthat
thereissomethingindeedgoingbeyondmereintellection.


Thewallofkoanoncebrokenthroughandtheintellectual

obstructionswell clearedoff, youcomeback, sotospeak, to

your everyday relatively constinicted consciousness. The one

handdoesnotgiveoutasounduntilitisclapjjedbytheother.


Thecypress-treestandsstraightbeforethewindow;allhuman

beings have thenose verticallyset and theeyeshorizontally


arranged.Zenisnowthemostordinarythingintheworld.A

fieldthatweformerlysupposedtoliefarbeyondisnowfoundto

betheveryfield inwhichwewalk,dayin,dayout.Whenwe

comeoutofsaioriweseethefamiliarworldwithallitsmulti-

tudinousobjectsandideastogetherwiththeirlogicalness,and
pronouncethem"good".

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