An introduction to Zen Buddhism

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ZEN AHIGHER AFFIRMATION

womandidnotwishtosectheBuddha;ifheeverapproachedshe

triedineverywaytoavoidhim,runningupanddown,hiding

herselfhitherandthither.Butoneday,findingitimpossibleto
fleefromhim,shecoveredherfacewithherhands,andlo,the


Buddhaappearedbetweeneachofhertenfingers.Letmeask,

'Whoisthisoldlady?'"

AbsoluteaflSrmationbtheBuddha;youcarmotflyawayfrom

it,foritconfrontsyouateveryturn;butsomehowyoudonot

recognizeituntilyou,likeGutei'slitdeboy,loseafinger.Itis


strange,butthefactremainsthatwearelike"thosewhodieof

hungerwhilesittingbesidethericebag",orratherlike"thosewho

die ofthirstwhilestandingthoroughlydrenchedinthemidst


oftheriver".Onemastergoesastepfurtherandsaysthat"We

arcthericeitselfandthewateritself."Ifsowecannottruthfully

saythatwearehungryorthirsty,forfromtheverybeginning

nothinghasbeenwantinginus.AmonkcametoSozan(T'sao-

shan,840-901) askinghim tobecharitable, as hewasquite

destitute.Sozancalledout,"Omyvenerablesir!"towhichthe

monk immediatelyresponded. Then said Sozan, "You have

alreadyhadthreebigbowlfulsofrichhome-madechu(liquor),

andyetyouinsistthatithasneveryetwettedyourlips!"Perhaps


weareallUkcthispooropulent monk;whenwearealready

quitefilledup,weneverrealizethefact.

Toconclude,hereisanotheroftheinnumerablestatements

thataboundinZenliterature,absolutelyaffirmingthetruthof
Zen.Seihei(Tsing-ping,845-919)askedSuibi(T'sui-wei):^


"WhatisthefundamentalprincipleofBuddhism?"

"Wait,"saidSuibi;"whenthereisnoonearoundIwilltell

you."
AfterawhileSeiheirep>eatedtherequest,saying,"Thereis
nooneherenow;prayenlightenme."


Comingdownfromhischair,Suibitooktheanxiousinquirer

intothebamboogrove,butsaidnothing.WTienthelatterpressed

forareply,Suibiwhispered:"Howhighthesebamboosare!And

howshortthoseoverthere!"

'TheTransndisionqftheLamp{Oman-UngLu),Vol.XV.
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