Zhaozhou’s “Losing the Mind in Confusion”
Zhaozhou said to the assembly, “‘If you have even a bit of discrimination, you lose your mind in confusion.’ Do you have anything to say about this?”
A monastic hit Zhaozhou’s attendant and said, “Why don’t you answer the master?”
Zhaozhou left and went back to the abbot’s room. Later the attendant asked Zhaozhou for guidance and said, “Did that monastic who struck me have understanding, or did he not?”
Zhaozhou said, “The one who sits sees the one who stands; the one who stands sees the one who sits.”
Student: “What did Zhaozhou mean by his answer to the attendant’s question?”
Master: “He meant that the one who is hit sees the one who hits; the one who hits sees the one who is hit.”
Student: “I am still lost.”
Master: “A questioner sees the answerer and the answerer sees the questioner.”
Student: “I am still lost.”
Master: “You still see me.”
Commentary:
The answer Master shows has neither questioner nor answerer, but the student sees only the answerer.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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