We return to our play in the Koans of the Book of Equanimity, and Shishin Wick's down to earth, wonderful commentary. This time, Case 51 - Hogen's "By Boat or By Land" (For those who have not purchased the book, or are waiting for arrival, it is here):
For the ignorant, all things in human life are just what they appear. For Buddha, all is empty and not there at all as the separate things, events and people the mind believes.
Yet for Buddhas too, all is empty and not there, yet is there as there can be. Each thing and event and person is not just that, yet is everything and Buddha too. As the famous saying goes ...
Thus, when asked how one came, an ordinary deluded fellow might say "by boat" or "on the bus". A Zen fellow might answer "where is there to come from, to where might one go?" There is no coming and going. Or he might answer "by boat" ... and that boat is just a boat, yet is not just a boat for it is also "where is there to come from, to where might one go ... no coming no going". (In fact, one sees that the boat is just the bus and all the flowers and stars in the sky too).
When Kaku said "boat in the river" did he mean just "boat in the river" or did he mean "boat in the river"? When Hogen called "door" a "door", did he mean that the door is a "door" or that the door is a "door"? The enlightened sage can walk through such a door when it is open and when it is closed. (It is also the bus door, the flowers door, the sky door and me and you door too).
From the Preface: In just this same way, worldly things usually delude us, and Buddhadharma enlightens. But worldly things enlighten when they are encountered as not just worldly though worldly. The worldly is then precisely Buddhadharma. However, "Buddhadharma"obstructs when it is turned into just some worldly thing.
We also are reminded of another Koan with Hogen, "not knowing is most intimate." But what kind of "knowing" is this "not knowing"? It is not simple ignorance and lack of education. As well, ordinary "knowing" is actually ignorance for the Zen fellow, because it is limited to a world of this and that, me and you.
The intimate "not knowing" of the Zen Master is that which shines through all the worldly things ... such that sailing boats do not come and go even as they come and go.
QUESTIONS (just suggested, talk about anything you want):
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
WHERE DID YOU PARK YOUR CAR?
DOES THE ZENNY LOGIC OF WHAT I DESCRIBE SEEM CLEAR OR CONFUSING TO YOU?
HOW MIGHT IT HELP US LIVE OUR LIVES FREE?
Gassho, J
PS - For those new to Koans, some tips on reading the book can be found here ...
For the ignorant, all things in human life are just what they appear. For Buddha, all is empty and not there at all as the separate things, events and people the mind believes.
Yet for Buddhas too, all is empty and not there, yet is there as there can be. Each thing and event and person is not just that, yet is everything and Buddha too. As the famous saying goes ...
Before I had studied Zen for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and waters as waters. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and waters are not waters. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it's just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and waters once again as waters.
When Kaku said "boat in the river" did he mean just "boat in the river" or did he mean "boat in the river"? When Hogen called "door" a "door", did he mean that the door is a "door" or that the door is a "door"? The enlightened sage can walk through such a door when it is open and when it is closed. (It is also the bus door, the flowers door, the sky door and me and you door too).
From the Preface: In just this same way, worldly things usually delude us, and Buddhadharma enlightens. But worldly things enlighten when they are encountered as not just worldly though worldly. The worldly is then precisely Buddhadharma. However, "Buddhadharma"obstructs when it is turned into just some worldly thing.
We also are reminded of another Koan with Hogen, "not knowing is most intimate." But what kind of "knowing" is this "not knowing"? It is not simple ignorance and lack of education. As well, ordinary "knowing" is actually ignorance for the Zen fellow, because it is limited to a world of this and that, me and you.
The intimate "not knowing" of the Zen Master is that which shines through all the worldly things ... such that sailing boats do not come and go even as they come and go.
QUESTIONS (just suggested, talk about anything you want):
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
WHERE DID YOU PARK YOUR CAR?
DOES THE ZENNY LOGIC OF WHAT I DESCRIBE SEEM CLEAR OR CONFUSING TO YOU?
HOW MIGHT IT HELP US LIVE OUR LIVES FREE?
Gassho, J
PS - For those new to Koans, some tips on reading the book can be found here ...
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