An introduction to Zen Buddhism

AN INTRODUCTIONTOZEN BUDDHISM

WhereupKjnthemonkcontinued, "Whatthenisthissome-

thingyoudonottalkabout?"

Themaster'sreplywas,"Itisneithermind,norBuddha,nor

matter."

Thislookstobethedoctrineofabsoluteemptiness,buteven

hereagainwe observea glimpseofsomething showingitseli

throughthenegation. Obser\'ethefurtherdialoguethattook

placebetweenthetvvo.Themonksaid

:

"Ifso,youhavealreadytalkedaboutit."

"Icannotdoanybetter.Whatwouldyousay?"

"Iamnotagreatenhghtenedone,"answeredHyakujo.

Themastersaid,"Well,Ihavealreadysaidtoomuchabout

it."

Thisstateofinner consciousness, aboutwhichwe cannot

makeanylogicalstatement,mustberealizedbeforewecanhave

amyintelligenttalkonZen.Wordsareonlyanindextothisstate

;

throughthemweareenabledtogetintoitssignification,butdo

notlooktowordsforabsoluteguidance.Trytoseefirstofallin

whatmentalstatetheZenmastersaresoacting.Theyarenot

carryingonallthoseseemingabsurdities,or,assomemightsay,

thosesillytriviahties,justtosuittheircapriciousmoods.They

haveacertainfirmbasisoftruthobtainedfromadeeppersonal

exp>erience.Thereisinalltheirseeminglycrazyperformancesa

systematicdemonstrationofthemostvitaltruth.Whenseenfi-om

thistruth,eventhemo\ingofthewholeuniverseisofnomore

accountthantheflyingofamosquitoorthewa\dngofafan.The

thingistoseeonespiritworkingthroughoutallthese,whichisan

absoluteaffirmation,withnotaparticleofnihilisminit.

AmonkaskedJoshu,"WTiatwouldyousaywhenIcometo

youwithnothing?"

Joshusaid,"Flingitdowntotheground."

Protestedthemonk,"IsaidthatIhadnothing;whatshallI

letgo?"

"Ifso,carryitaway,"wastheretortofJoshu.

Joshuhasthusplainlyexposedthefruidessnessofanihilistic

philosophy.ToreachthegoalofZen,eventheideaof"having

nothing"oughttobedoneawaywith.Buddharevealshimself

whenheisnomoreasserted;thatis,forBuddha'ssakeBuddha

istobegivenup.Thisistheonlywaytocometotherealization