Dear All,
We now turn to this case of eyebrows, without batting an eyelash or raising eyebrows.
I really appreciate the wise and insightful responses from folks to recent cases. One point of caution, however:
Don't answer just to be creative and clever sounding. Make sure that you honestly are expressing some feeling and insight you have for the point of the Koan. If you don't, or are not so confident about it, it is okay to say that. It is okay also to try, but say one is not sure. But also have confidence if you feel some confidence! Just really try to express understanding sincerely, not just sound cute and witty.
This week's Koan is considered a hard one by many commentators.
The POINTER is not so hard, I think. It merely makes the point that those who truly Understand can make real use of their understanding, and are as at home with it as a tiger in the mountains or a dragon in water (Master Dogen made the same reference in Fukanzazengi.) Those who don't understand are stuck like a sheep caught in a fence (or like the guy in an old Chinese fable who sits around on a stump to catch a rabbit waiting for a rabbit to jump in his lap.) The rest says that a Teacher's well expressed phrase or teaching is like a lion or a sword that cuts through ignorance. It can leave everyone thunderstuck and silent. Sometimes it is tailored to the conditions of the moment. It can tailor words to speak to the wise or to speak to the ignorant. Sometimes a teacher can turn a blade of grass into Buddha (the ordinary is cosmic), sometimes it can turn Buddha into a blade of grass (the sacred is most ordinary and in every tiny thing.)
In the CASE, a teacher gave Dharma Talks all during Ango. He then asked, "Did my eyebrows fall out?" This comes from the ancient saying that, if a teacher taught wrong dharma teachings, he would be punished by all his/her eyebrows falling out.
Teachers, of course, just try to express the teachings as best they can, although words can never really express perfectly what needs to be known for oneself.
Three commentators respond, one saying something like, "The old thief (the teacher) is acting cowardly, like he is not sure of himself (but is he really unsure?). Another says, "He still has his eyebrows." A third says, "Barrier," which may mean something like, "Here's a test to pass! (but how does one "non-pass" what is actually a "non-barrier" to a gateless gate, a test about Zen teachings about non-eyebrows that can never be measured? )"
The VERSE just riffs on the above. The line about "He loses his money and suffers punishment" may be something like saying "The guy can't win no matter what he says.")
QUESTION: Of course, we are not told anything about what Ts'ui Yen taught during all his talks during Ango. So, how are we to judge? Does he have his eyebrows or not?
.
Gassho, J
stlah
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