An introduction to Zen Buddhism

Ill

IS ZEN NIHILISTIC?

INthehistoryofZen,Yeno(Hui-neng,^638-713),traditionally

consideredtheSixthPatriarchoftheZensectin China,cutsa
most importantfigure. Infact, heis thefounder ofZenas
distinguishedfromtheotherBuddhistsectsthenexistinginChina,

ThestandardsetupbyhimasthetrueexpressionofZenfaith\s

thisstanza:

TheBodhi(TrueWisdom)isnotlikethetree;

Themirrorbrightisnowhereshining

:

Asthereisnothingfromthefirst,

Wheredocsthedustitselfcollect?

Thiswaswritteninanswertoastanzacomposedbyanother

Zenmonkwhoclaimedtohaveimderstoodthefaithinitspurity.

Hislinesrunthus

:

ThisbodyistheBodhi-tree

;

Thesoulislikethemirrorbright

;

Takeheedtokeepitalwaysclean.

Andletnodustcollectuponit.

TheywereboththedisciplesoftheFifthPatriarch,Gunin

(Hung-jen,died675);andhethoughtthatYenorightlycom-

prehendedthespiritofZen,and,therefore,wasworthyofwearing
hismantleandcarryinghisbowlashistruesuccessorinZen.
Thisrecognition bythemasterofthesignificationofthefirst

stanzabyYenostampsitastheorthodoxexpressionofZenfaith.

Asitseemsto breathethespiritofnothingness,manypeople

regardZenasadvocatingnihilism.Thepurposeofthepresent

chapteristorefutethis.

ItistruetherearemanypassagesinZenliteraturewhichmay

beconstruedasconveyinganihilisticdoctrine;forexample,the

^Hui-ncQgispronouncedWci-langinShanghaidialect.