Joshu said, “A clay Buddha cannot cross water because it collapses. A steel Buddha cannot cross a forge because it melts down. A wooden Buddha cannot cross fire because it burns. What is the true Buddha?”
Student: “What is the true Buddha?”
Master: “It is a clay Buddha, a steel Buddha and a wood Buddha.”
Commentary:
The Buddha appears according to the preferences of sentient beings. Don’t say that you don’t know him even if he appears with a ghost’s face.
Rinzai came to Zoden, and asked him, “Neither worldly nor sacred — I beg of you, master, speak quickly!” Zoden said, “I am simply thus.” Rinzai gave a Katsu and said, “This crew of shaved heads here, what are you going to learn here?”
Commentary:
When Rinzai said to Zoden, “Neither worldly nor sacred — I beg of you, master, speak quickly!” he wanted to see how well Zoden could reveal the true-Self. Zoden, sensing Rinzai’s intention, manifested the true-Self by saying, “I am simply thus.” Rinzai responded with a Katsu and revealed the true-Self one more time by saying, “This crew of shaved heads here, what are you going to learn here?”, by which he meant that the monastics there should not try to attain enlightenment through academic learning, because there is nothing to learn here, in the true-Self.
A. Nirvana is another name of Emptiness that is Oneness, non-duality. When we realise Emptiness, that is, when we can see everything as the same as one, we feel oneness with one another. Then, what is beneficial to you is beneficial to all, and what is harmful to you is harmful to all. What is good to others is good to you, and what is bad to others is bad to you.
Then, one’s gain is another’s gain, and one’s loss is another’s loss. In this state when misfortune happens to any of us, all lament, and when fortune happens to any of us, all are happy. This means that the state in which Jesus’s words ‘Love your neighbours as yourself’ materialises. This is referred to as the Pure Land that is opposite to the mundane world where one’s gain is another’s loss, and one’s misfortune is another’s fortune.
One day Woonahm was sweeping the yard with a broom. Seeing him sweeping the yard, Do-oh said to him, “How diligent you are!” Woonahm said, “You should know that there is one that is not diligent.” Do-oh responded, “Then, there is a second moon.” Woonahm, holding out the broom, said, “What number moon is this?”
Student: “Who is one that is not diligent?”
Master: “He is not lazy, either.”
Student: “What number moon is the broom that Woonahm held out?”
Rinzai came to Suiho. Suiho asked, “Where do you come from?” Rinzai replied, “From Obaku.” Suiho said, “What words does Obaku instruct his monks with?” Rinzai replied, “Obaku has no words to say.” Suiho asked, “Why do you say that he has no words to say?” Rinzai replied, “Even if he has something, there is nothing worth saying about this.” Suiho said, “Even though it is so, just tell me and let’s see.” Rinzai said, “The arrow has already passed the Western sky.”
Commentary:
When Suiho asked Rinzai what words Obaku, Rinzai’s master instructed his students with, he meant to ask Rinzai what he had learned from Obaku. Rinzai’s answer ‘Obaku has no words to say’ means that he never teaches his students with words because the Buddha’s teachings are beyond words. In order to test Rinzai once more, Suiho said, “Why do you say that he has no words to say?”, which means ‘In fact, Obaku has said a lot of words. Why do you contradict him?’ Rinzai’s answer ‘Even if he has something, there is nothing worth saying about this’ means ‘It is because even if Obaku has anything at all to teach his students, there is nothing that can be described in words. Suiho’s ‘Even though it is so, just tell me and let’s see’ means ‘Even though you are right, you are still not enlightened if you cannot reveal the true-Self with words.” Then, Rinzai responded by saying ‘The arrow has already passed the Western sky’, by which he meant, “Through my words and behaviour I have kept revealing the true-Self that Obaku doesn’t teach with words since we met, why do you ask me to tell it without discerning it?”
A. Asking this question is also a kind of thought. Where is it from? To keep questioning this is no other than Zen meditation and is a good gate to enlightenment.
In Buddhism the true-Self is the root of everything, including thoughts. To realise what the true-Self is through experience in person is referred to as enlightenment, the aim of Buddhism.
Student: “Where do thoughts come from?”
Master: “Pardon?”
Student: “Where do thoughts come from?”
Master: “Don’t say that I didn’t answer your question.”
Master Jijang asked Buban, “Where are you going?” Buban answered, “I am going to amble around.” Jijang said, “Do you know how to amble?” Buban said, “I don’t know.” Jijang said, “Not knowing is the nearest.” Then, Buban attained enlightenment.
Student: “What is the way of ambling?”
Master: “You should walk without stepping on anything.”
Student: “What is the nearest?”
Master: “It can’t be separated from you even with a sharp sword.”
Commentary:
The Buddha is always with you wherever you may go, although He never moves at all.
When Rinzai came to Kegon in the prefecture of Jo, Kegon pretended to be dozing, leaning on his staff. Rinzai said to him “Old Venerable, what shall I do if you doze off?” Kegon answered, “A great visitor of Zen is really different.” Rinzai said, “Attendant, go and make tea for the Venerable.” Kegon called the monk in charge and said, “Install this monk in the third seat.”
Commentary:
Seeing Rinzai coming, Kegon pretended to be dozing to test him. Rinzai, sensing Kegon’s intent, revealed the true-Self by saying, “Old Venerable, what shall I do if you doze off?” Kegon tested Rinzai again to see if he was really above being deluded by words by saying, “A great visitor of Zen is really different.” Rinzai responded well by saying, “Attendant, go and make tea for the Venerable”, with which Rinzai revealed the true-Self. Kegon, approving Rinzai’s enlightenment, told the monk in charge to install him in the third seat.
A. Many people seem to mistake divine power for a supernatural ability beyond our scientific comprehension such as foretelling the future and saving people from their illnesses. In fact, such things have nothing to do with Buddhism. The divine power in Buddhism is another name of the true-Self. Whatever we do, our lives themselves are the functions of the divine power, and wherever we are, we cannot be separated from the divine power. We cannot stop revealing divine power even for a moment. That is why ancient masters would say that hiding the true-Self is more difficult than revealing it.
The fact is that there is no one who is not equipped with divine power, and who is not revealing it. Everybody is equipped with it and is revealing it unceasingly. The key point is whether we are aware of it or not. That the enlightened are equipped with divine power means that they are clearly aware of it. So, ancient masters would say that they could use it at will anytime.
Rinzai came to the memorial pagoda of Bodhidharma. The incumbent asked, “Old Venerable, will your first bow be to the Buddha or to the Patriarch?” Rinzai said, “I shall bow neither to the Buddha nor to the Patriarch.”
Student: “Why didn’t Rinzai bow either to the Buddha or to the Patriarch?”
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