An old woman sent her servant to deliver alms to Master Joshu and told him to request the master to read the whole Sutra. The master descended from the high seat and walked around the high seat once in a circle. Then, he said, “I have read the whole the Sutra.” When the servant told her what had happened, she said, “I wonder why he just read just half of the Sutra although I requested him to read the whole Sutra.”
Student: “Why did Joshu walk around the high seat once in a circle?”
Master: “Because you heard only half of what Joshu read.”
Commentary:
The Sutra has no words, which ought to be heard with eyes and seen with ears.
“Subhuti, suppose a Bodhisattva took as many jewels as would fill worlds as numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges River and gave them in charity. Now suppose someone else realised the selflessness of all things and attained tolerance; this Bodhisattva would surpass the blessings attained by the former Bodhisattva.
Commentary:
No matter how many jewels we may give in charity, they are no better than images of jewels and charity, and we are still deluded by images, illusions if we have not realised that everything is empty. In other words, no matter how many good things we may do, we are just being deluded by illusions if we can’t see things as they are, that is, if we are not aware that everything is selfless, that is, that nothing has its own unique nature.
However, once we have realised that everything is empty, or selfless, we are aware that no matter what we may do, whether a small thing, or a tremendous thing, our acts are the functions of the Buddha. This is why the Buddha said that the blessings attained by the latter Bodhisattva would surpass the blessings attained by the former.
Student: “Why is realising the selflessness of all things and attaining tolerance more valuable than giving as many jewels as would fill worlds as numerous as the sand grains in the Ganges River in charity?”
Master: “The body that creates the shadow, although it is much smaller than the shadow, is incomparably more valuable than its shadow.”
Counting another’s cows means to dwell on the Buddha’s words, or ancient masters’ words without seeing what their words point to. Putting what you read into practice implies to attain enlightenment by seeing what they point to.
Once upon a time there was a poisonous dragon in a village. It threatened the inhabitants there all the time. They tried to escape from the village, but they couldn’t because of the dangerous dragon. So, they invited 500 monks who had practised meditation a lot in order to expel the dragon out of the village. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t expel the dragon. These monks were rather threatened by it as well and they ran away after all. Then, a monk who looked very humble came to the village and offered to help them. The villagers didn’t expect much of him, having seen 500 monks being repulsed by the dragon instead of expelling it. However, as soon as the monk just flicked one of his fingers, the dragon disappeared perfectly.
Student: “How could the humble monk expel the dragon although the five hundred monks failed?”
Master: “Because of karma.”
Commentary:
Don’t think that a poisonous dragon appears to be dangerous and cruel, and the Buddha appears to be handsome and compassionate.
“Subhuti, if you entertain the thought that the Realised One attained unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment through not holding the marks of perfection, you should not think this way. Subhuti, if you entertain the thought that those who aspire to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment should say that all things are extinguished and annihilated, you should not think this way. Why? Those who aspire to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment ought not say that all things are extinguished and annihilated.”
Commentary:
It is true that he who attained unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment never dwells on not only the marks of perfection but also all other things. However, not dwelling on anything doesn’t mean thinking of all things as extinguished and annihilated, but means looking upon them as the function of the true-Self. For example, when we see waves in the sea, thinking that each of the waves has its own unique nature and is different from the others in essence is dwelling on things, and seeing all the waves as nothing whatsoever is seeing all things as extinguished and annihilated. In fact, this is another type of dwelling on the image of nothing. However, he who sees everything as empty, or as it is and never dwells on anything, sees everything just as the constant function of the true-Self that is formless, boundless, changeless and nameless, is one who sees everything as it is.
Student: “Why is it that those who aspire to unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment ought not say that all things are extinguished and annihilated?”
Master: “If all things were extinguished and annihilated, who would ask whom like this?”
At that point the World Honoured One said in verse, “Anyone who sees me in form, or who seeks me through sound, is travelling a heretical path and cannot see the Realised One.”
Commentary:
We can recognise spring by seeing young leaves and flowers although they are not spring that is formless, since we know that they are the function of spring. In the same way, we should know that all forms are the functions of the Realised One.
Anyone who tries to avoid, or discard forms
Also can’t see the Realised One.
Trying to see the Realised One by avoiding forms
Is trying to make bread by avoiding flour.
Student: “How can I see the Realised One without avoiding forms?”
Master: “You can see spring through flowers and buds.”
Master Hyunsa said, “If you fall in with a person who is blind, deaf and dumb, how would you treat him? If we can’t treat such a person properly, we can’t say that the Buddha’s teaching is divine.” Then, Jijang, one of his students said, “I can see, hear and speak. How would you treat me?” The master burst out laughing.
Student: “Why did the master laugh upon hearing Jijang’s words?”
Master: “I know that you are not blind, not deaf and not dumb.
Commentary:
Only one who is dumb can hear a dumb person’s words just as only birds can hear birds’ words.
Zen Fools 