{"id":1205,"date":"2011-03-14T12:51:24","date_gmt":"2011-03-14T16:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=1205"},"modified":"2011-11-18T22:54:20","modified_gmt":"2011-11-19T03:54:20","slug":"zen-humor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=1205","title":{"rendered":"A Comedy Moment"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLASSIC HUMOR FROM THE CH\u2019AN \/ ZEN BUDDHIST TRADITION<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"yang<\/a>Compiled by Timothy Conway<\/p>\n

POSTMORTEM<\/strong>
\nBefore Japanese Zen Master Takuan Soho (1573-1645) died, he instructed: \u201cBury my body on the mountain behind the temple; throw earth on it and go away. No scripture reading, no offerings\u2014go on with your meals. Afterwards, no pagoda, no monument, no posthumous name or title, and certainly no biography full of dates!\u201d
\nWhen, earlier in his ministry as a Zen roshi, Takuan was asked by a monk whether he ever performed the sacred Nembutsu recitation of the Name of Amida Buddha, he replied, \u201cNo, never.\u201d \u201cWhy not?\u201d \u201cBecause I don\u2019t want my mouth polluted!\u201d<\/p>\n

SPEECH-SILENCE<\/strong>
\nChinese Ch\u2019an (Zen) master I-tuan (9th century), disciple of Nan-ch\u2019uan, declared: \u201cSpeech is blasphemy! Silence is a lie! Above speech and silence, there is a way out.\u201d<\/p>\n

TRADITION<\/strong>
\nWhen Ch\u2019an master Y\u00fcn-men (864-949) was asked by a monk for details about the life and teaching of ancient sage Nagarjuna, the renowned Indian master of the 2nd century, considered a primary Patriarch of Ch\u2019an\/Zen and other schools of Buddhism, Y\u00fcn-men smilingly replied: \u201cIn India there are ninety-six classes of heretics, and you belong to the lowest.\u201d<\/p>\n

SUCCESSION<\/strong>
\nWhen the 6th Patriarch of Chinese Ch\u2019an Buddhism, Hui-neng (638-713), was asked on what basis he succeeded the 5th Patriarch in this lineage of Buddhism, Hui-neng instantly replied, \u201cBecause I do not understand Buddhism.\u201d<\/p>\n

PRACTICE<\/strong>
\nHui-neng\u2019s successor, Master Nan-y\u00fceh, came upon young Ma-tsu who had been ardently spending all his days sitting in meditation at a temple. The master asked Ma-tsu, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d \u201cI\u2019m practicing meditation.\u201d \u201cWhy?\u201d asked the master. Said Ma-tsu, \u201cI want to attain enlightenment; I aim to become a Buddha.\u201d Master Nan-y\u00fceh thereupon picked up a rough tile lying nearby and began to vigorously rub it against a rock. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d asked Ma-tsu. Said the master, \u201cI want to make this tile into a mirror.\u201d \u201cHow is it possible to make a tile into a mirror?\u201d asked Ma-tsu. Retorted Nan-y\u00fceh: \u201cHow is it possible to become a Buddha by doing meditation?\u2026 If you keep the Buddha seated, this is murdering the Buddha.\u201d<\/p>\n

Modern-era Zen master Shunryu Suzuki clarifies: \u201cWe practice zazen meditation to naturally express True Nature, not to \u2018attain enlightenment.\u2019\u201d And one of Zen master Sengai\u2019s (1751-1837) famous cartoonish Zen paintings shows a smiling frog sitting on a lily pad, with the caption: \u201cIf by seated meditation one becomes a Buddha\u2026 [implication: then all frogs are Buddhas!]\u201d)<\/p>\n

VISIONS<\/strong>
\nHarada-roshi\u2019s successor Hakuun Yasutani (1885-1973) declared: \u201cTo see a beautiful vision of a celestial Buddha does not mean that you are any nearer to becoming one yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n

[Submitted by Joy Staller]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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