A. Master: “Not difficult at all.”
Student: “Do it for me, Sir.”
Master: “Difficult.”
Commentary:
Don’t draw a bow after the thief ran away.
If I were asked to do it, I would say, “Easy”.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Tag: zen
Q185. How can I be on the middle path?
A. The best way to be in the middle is to eliminate either of both extremes. If you remove either of them, the other disappears by itself, because they exist relying on each other. The right, for example, can’t exist without the left, and the left can’t exist without the right. There can’t be wrong without right and the other way around.
However, don’t make the mistake of wasting your efforts to remove either of them by force. You can never succeed in removing them in that way because they are illusionary and not real. The only way to remove them is to realise the truth that the extremes are not real things but just illusions created by your discrimination. When we don’t think of the right and the left, there is no right side and no left side. Only when we fix one side as the left does the opposite side become the right. Therefore, once you realise that one extreme is not real but illusionary, the other extreme disappears by itself.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q184. Masters often advise people to become like children. Do they mean that all children are enlightened?
Q. As I mentioned earlier, we are living in the world of memory, or the world of illusions, since we can see only the world of memory; a half of all. The purpose of Zen practice is to see the world beyond memory and enjoy both the world of memory and the world beyond memory at the same time. Only when we can see and enjoy both of these worlds can we be said to be enlightened. Children are not enlightened because they can see only a half of all; the world beyond memory, just as we are not enlightened now because we can see only a half of all; the world of memory.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q183. Student: “How can I take the boat that crosses the sea of birth and death?”
A. Master: “Get aboard.”
Commentary:
If you get aboard, you will sink.
If not, you won’t cross the river.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q182. What is Samadhi?
A. There are two kinds Samadhi: one before enlightenment and one after enlightenment.
The former is the state of mind that usually occurs during practice when we are fully focused on the question. Your mind is then very stable and comfortable, and you are not conscious of time passing. You feel as if you yourself were the question and separate from reality. In brief, your meditation practice is going in an ideal way, and is close to the final goal.
The latter is the state of mind we have every day after realising what we are when our body is not us, that is enlightenment. Here you are truth itself, eternity itself and perfection itself, and so no words can be applied to it. You feel oneness with the whole universe and know that everything you can feel is made by no other than your discriminating mind. You can see things in both ways; emptiness and form at the same time. In other words, you know that all illusions are not different from the truth.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q181. What shall I do when I can’t concentrate on the question?
A. People who start Zen meditation can find it somewhat difficult to concentrate on the question in the beginning. You don’t have to be concerned about the matter since that is a very common phenomenon for beginners.
In fact, you should know that this is rather a good time to practise because what you are seeking is revealing itself. The root of the idea that you can’t concentrate on the question is the very thing that you should realise.
If you, while thinking that you can’t concentrate on you question, take the idea as true, you are being tricked by the illusion. You, however, are practising well if you try to find out where the idea comes from, because the purpose of our practice is to realise the root, or the source of our thoughts.
Try to focus on your question. When your concentration is very weak and it occurs to you that you don’t practice well, don’t agree with the idea but trace the thought back to the root from which it comes. Sooner or later you will find yourself absorbed in the question.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q180. Student: “What is the true-self?”
A. Master: “An old well.”
Student: “What is it like?”
Master: “Its bottom is invisible.”
Commentary:
It is too deep to see the bottom of it.
It will quench your thirst forever if you drink it.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q179. You say that the Sutras are not different from the Bible. Could you interpret ‘Jesus’s walking on the water’ from the Bible in your view?
A. Water represents our illusions. ‘Walking on the water’ symbolises ‘living free from the trap of illusions’, that is, Jesus didn’t sink in illusions, which means he was not fooled by them. The scenario that they were fishing in the water is symbolising our life that we are leading in illusions. The fact that Peter started walking on the water to Jesus means that he had a strong faith in Jesus and believed the water to be an illusion, even though he didn’t realise the truth himself. The scene, where noticing the strong wind, Peter was afraid and started to sink down in the water means that he didn’t realise the wind was also an illusion because he was not enlightened.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q178. Isn’t Zen meditation against Christianity? Do I have to cease being Christian in order to practice Zen meditation?
A. I never ask people to change their religions or cease keeping their religions, but encourage them to be better adherents of their religions than before. I tell people to realise what the object of their faith is, whether God or Buddha in order that they may be better followers of their religions.
Saying that you believe in Buddha or God without knowing what or who they are, is affronting them, not paying homage to them. Let’s suppose there is a person who always says that he loves you. He doesn’t know you, and never tries to find out where you are and what you are like. However, he always wants you to help him. Does his love for you make sense? That is blind faith and idol worship. There is an old saying, ‘Seeing is believing’. Only when you can see them can you have true faith in God or Buddha and be a genuine believer in your religion.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Q 177. Student: “What is the General?”
A. Master: “A soldier”
Student: “What is a soldier?”
Master: ‘A General”
Commentary:
Don’t say that the General is hidden disguised.
He is so wise that he never plays such a cheap trick.
It is due to your own eye trouble that he seems to be hidden disguised.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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