PRACTICAL ZEN
Is notBuddha their Lord? Ishe not thehighest realityof
Buddhism?Hecannotbesuchahatefuloruncleanthingastobe
avoided byZen adherents.Whatthey donotlikeis notthe
Buddhahimself,buttheodiumattachedtotheword.
TheanswersgivenbyZenmasterstothequestion"Whoor
whatistheBuddha?"arefullofvarieties;andwhyso?One
reasonatleastisthattheythusdesiretofreeourmindsfromall
f>ossiblcentanglements andattachments suchas words,ideas,
desires,etc.,whichareputupagainstusfi-omtheoutside.Some
oftheanswersare,then,asfollows
:"Onemadeofclayanddecoratedwithgold."
"Eventhefinestartistcannotpainthim.""TheoneenshrinedintheBuddhaHall."
"HeisnoBuddha."
"YournameisYecho."
"Thedirt-scrap)cralldriedup."
"Sectheeasternmountainsmovingoverthewaves.""Nononsensehere."
"Surroundedbythemountainsarewehere."
"ThebamboogroveatthefootofChang-linhill."
"Threepoundsofflax.""Themouthisthegateofwoe."
"Lo,thewavesarerollingovertheplateau."
"Secthethree-leggeddonkeygotrottingalong.""Areedhasgrownpiercingthroughtheleg."
"Heregoesamanwiththechestexposedandthelegsallnaked."
TheseareculledatrandomfromafewbooksIamusingfor
thepurpose.WTienathoroughsystematicsearchismadeinthe
entirebodyofZenliteratureweget quiteacollection ofthe
moststrangestatementsever made concerningsuchasimple
questionas,"\MioistheBuddha?"Someoftheanswersgiven
aboveareadtogetherirrelevant;theyare,indeed,farfrombeingappropriatesofaraswejudgethemfromourordinarystandard
ofreasoning.Theothersseemtobemakingsportofthequestion
orofthequestionerhimself.CantheZenmasterswhomakesuch
remarksbeconsideredtobeinearnestandreallydesiringthe
enlightenmentoftheirfollowers?Butthepointistohaveour