WHATIS ZEN?
cannotclaimtobeuniqueinthehistoryofreligion.Perhapsso;
butZenisamysticismofitsownorder.Itismysticalinthesense
thatthesunshines,thattheflowerblooms,thatIhearatthis
momentsomebodybeatingadrumin thestreet.Ifthese are
mysticalfacts,Zenisbrim-fullofthem.WhenaZenmasterwas
onceaskedwhatZenwas,hereplied,"Youreverydaythought."
Isthisnotplainandmoststraightforward?Ithasnothingtodo
withanysectarianspirit. Christiansas wellas Buddhistscan
practiseZenjustasbigfishandsmallfisharebothcontentedly
livinginthesameocean.Zenistheocean,Zenistheair,Zenis
themountain,Zenisthunderandlightning,thespringflower,
sxmimerheat,andwintersnow;nay,morethanthat,Zenisthe
man.Withalltheformalities,conventionalisms,andsuperaddi-
tionsthatZenhasaccuimulatedinitslonghistory,itscentralfact
isverymuchalive.ThespecialmeritofZenliesinthis:thatwe
arestillabletoseeintothisultimatefact\-ithoutbeingbiasedby
an\thing.
Ashas beensaid before,what makesZenunique asit is
practisedinJapanisitssystematictrainingofthemind.Ordinary
mysticismhasbeentooerraticaproductandapartfromone's
ordinarylife;thisZenhasrevolutionized.Whatwasupinthe
heavens,Zenhasbroughtdowntoearth.Withthedevelopment
ofZen,mysticismhasceasedtobemystical;itisnomorethe
spasmodicproductofanabnormallyendowed mind. ForZen
revealsitselfinthemostuninterestinganduneventfullifeofa
plainmanofthestreet,recognizingthefactoflivinginthemidst
oflifeasitblived.Zens^-stematicallytrainsthemindtoseethis;
itopensaman'seyetothegreatestmysteryasitisdailyand
hourlyperformed;itenlargesthehearttoembraceeternityof
timeandinfinityofspaceinitseverypalpitation;itmakesuslive
intheworldasifwalkinginthegardenofEden;andallthese
spiritualfeatsareaccomplishedvsithoutresortingtoanydoctrines
butbysimplyassertinginthemostdirectwaythetruththatlies
inourinnerbeing.
WliateverelseZenmaybe,itispracticalandcommonplace
andatthesametimemostliving.Anancientmaster,wishingto
showwhatZenis,liftedoneofhisfingers,anotherkickedaball,
andathirdslappedthefaceofhisquestioner.Iftheinnertruth