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公 案
anataman
Who needs a title?Where am I? Veteran
It is quite unsatisfactory that a 'body is required' (try posting something that is empty on this site - go on try!) so this is just text ... \ lol / ...
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Sorry, the reason for this thread is that Zen is often overlooked. I may seem cryptic, but the answer is always staring you in the face.
A Buddha
In Tokyo in the Meiji era there lived two prominent teachers of opposite characteristics. One, Unsho, an instructor in Shingon, kept Buddha's precepts scrupulously. He never drank intoxicants, nor did he eat after eleven o'clock in the morning. The other teacher, Tanzan, a professor of philosophy at the Imperial University, never observed the precepts. Whenever he felt like eating, he ate, and when he felt like sleeping in the daytime he slept.
One day Unsho visited Tanzan, who was drinking wine at the time, not even a drop of which is suppposed to touch the tongue of a Buddhist.
"Hello, brother," Tanzan greeted him. "Won't you have a drink?"
"I never drink!" exclaimed Unsho solemnly.
"One who does not drink is not even human," said Tanzan.
"Do you mean to call me inhuman just because I do not indulge in intoxicating liquids!" exclaimed Unsho in anger. "Then if I am not human, what am I?"
"A Buddha," answered Tanzan.
Except Unsho isn't a buddha, because he speaks in anger. What's the point supposed to be?
Aldris, maybe Tanzan was pointing out that Unsho should mind his own garden. By pointing to Unsho as a Buddha that could startle Unsho out of feeling superior.
A fully awakened being will benefit beings by whatever needs they have.. do not think that buddhas cannot manifest anger.
that said, not every angry person is a buddha
Maybe maybe maybe. It's a new one to me.
A Drop of Water
A Zen master named Gisan asked a young student to bring him a pail of water to cool his bath.
The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath, threw on to the ground the little that was left over.
"You dunce!" the master scolded him. "Why didn't you give the rest of the water to the plants? What right have you to waste even a drop of water in this temple?"
The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water.
well said my friend
also this kōan highlights Tanzan's pure perception of a fellow being, for having realized his own buddha nature, he sees it clearly in all "others"
I think, In this thread, @anataman is Tanzan and the rest of us are Unsho.
No, I am Tarzan!
Mu.
Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no relaization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
Silence...
I agree. Yamaoka was wacked.
I also agree; sometimes a good whack wakes you up...
Wack up?
Awackend?
Enough Wacking; I'm awake ffs.... reverting back to the koans... you've made me lose the thread... Thwack, Thwack, Thwack take that Victor,
Too much wacking will make you go blind
Thwank you so much.
@Jeffrey I think we might have totally wacked this thread.
But please go on with the Koans @anataman. It is just that Koans awa(c)ken my inner Zennist. I'll wack him and keep him in chain from now on.
Promise!
/Victor
You have an inner zennist? What do you do with him?
He is good to have around when I clap with only one hand. You know to wield the other hand. He sticks around in the forest listening to trees falling when I am not there and stuff like that. Also does a mean rotti.
/Victor
If a man speaks on a forum and the Moderator is not there to see the posts, is he still talking bullshit?
§¥Thwack!!¥§
And on a more serious note...
Isn't that lobster?
I bloody well hope not. Cushion's too flat....
The Gates of Paradise
A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai," the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar."
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head."
As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of paradise," said Hakuin.