ISZEN NIHILISTICr
arenoquibblings,noplayingatwords,nosophistry;Zenisthe
mostseriousconcernintheworld.
Letmeconcludethischapterwiththefollowingquotation^
fromoneofthe earliest Zenwritings. Doko (Tao-kwang), a
Buddhist philosopher and a student of the Vijnaptimatra
(absoluteidealism),cametoaZenmasterandasked
:"Withwhatframeofmindshouldonedisciplineoneselfin
thetruth?"SaidtheZenmaster,"Thereisnomindtobeframed,noris
thereanytruthinwhichtobedisciplined."
"Ifthereisnomindtobeframedandnotruthinwhichtobedisciplined,whydoyouhaveadailygatheringofmonkswhoare
studyingZenanddiscipliningthemselvesinthetruth?"Themasterreplied:"Ihavenotaninchofspacetospare,
andwherecouldIhaveagatheringofmonks?Ihavenotongue,andhowwoulditbepossibleformetoadviseotherstocometo
me?"
Thephilosopherthenexclaimed,"Howcanyoutellmealie
likethattomyface?"
"WhenIhavenotonguetoadviseothers,isitpossibleforme
toteUalie?"SaidDokodespairingly,"Icannotfollowyourreasoning."
"NeitherdoIunderstandmyself,"concludedtheZenmaster.
*ThisistakenfromaworkbyDaijuYckai(Tai-chuHuihai),discipleof
Baso(Ma-tsu,died738).Forotherquotationsseeelsewhere.