An introduction to Zen Buddhism

IS ZEN NIHILISTIC?

"Thus,Sariputra,allthingshavethecharacterofemptiness,

they have no beginning, no end, they are faultless and not

faultless,theyarenotperfectandnotimperfect.Therefore,O

Sariputra,hereinthisemptinessthereisnoform,noperception,

noname,noconcepts,noknowledge.Noeye,noear,nonose,no

tongue,nobody,nomind.Noform,nosound,nosmell,notaste,

notouch,noobjects....Thereisnoknowledge,noignorance,
nodestructionofignorance....Thereisnodecaynordeath

;

therearenofourtruths,viz.thereisnopain,nooriginofpain,no

stoppageofpain,andnopathtothestoppageofpain.Thereisno

knowledgeofNirvana,noobtainingofit,nonot-obtainingofit.

Therefore,OSariputra,zsthereisnoobtainingofNirvana,a

manwhohasapproachedthePrajnaparamitaoftheBodhisattvas

dwellsunimpededinconsciousness.Whentheimpedimentsof

consciousnessareannihilated,thenhebecomesfreeofallfear,is

beyondthereachofchange,enjoyingfinalNirvana."

Goingthroughallthesequotations,itmaybethoughtthat

thecriticsarejustifiedinchargingZenwithadvocatingaphilo-

sophyofpurenegation,butnothingissofarfromZenasthis

criticismwould imply. ForZen alwaysaimsat grasping the

centralfactoflife,whichcanneverbebroughttothedissecting

tableoftheintellect.Tograspthiscentralfactoflife,Zenisforced

toproposeaseriesofnegations.Merenegation,however,isnot

thespiritofZen,butaswearesoaccustomedtothedualisticway

ofthinking,thisintellectualerrormustbecutatitsroot.Naturally

Zenwouldproclaim,"Notthis,notthat,notanything."Butwe

mayinsistuponaskingZenwhatitisthatisleftafterallthese

denials,andthemasterwillperhapsonsuchanoccasiongiveus

aslapintheface,exclaiming,"Youfool,whatisthis?"Some

maytakethisasonlyanexcusetogetawayfromthedilemma,or

ashavingnomoremeaningthana practicalexampleofill-

breeding.ButwhenthespiritofZenisgraspedinitspurity,it

willbeseenwhatarealthingthatslapis.Forhereisnonegation,

noaffirmation,but a plainfact,a pureexperience, the very

foundationofour being and thought.All thequietness and

emptinessonemightdesireinthemidstofmostactivementation

liestherein.Donotbecarriedawaybyanythingoutwardorcon-

ventional.Zenmustbeseizedwithbarehands,withnogloveson

Zenisforcedtoresorttonegationbecauseofourinnateignor-

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