No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 12

Nothing to choose, nothing to discard

BELOVED ZORBA THE BUDDHA,

WHEN HE FIRST MET SEKITO, HO KOJI ASKED, "WHO IS HE THAT IS INDEPENDENT OF ALL THINGS?"

BEFORE HE COULD FINISH HIS QUESTION, SEKITO COVERED KOJI'S MOUTH WITH HIS HAND. AT THIS, KOJI UNDERWENT AN EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSED HIMSELF IN THE

FOLLOWING VERSE:

"DAILY, NOTHING PARTICULAR,

ONLY NODDING TO MYSELF.

NOTHING TO CHOOSE, NOTHING TO DISCARD.

NO COMING, NO GOING,

NO PERSON IN PURPLE.

BLUE MOUNTAINS WITHOUT A SPECK OF DUST.

I EXERCISE OCCULT AND SUBTLE POWER,

CARRYING WATER, SHOULDERING FIREWOOD."

LATER, WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT MA TZU, KOJI AGAIN ASKED, "WHO IS HE THAT IS

INDEPENDENT OF ALL THINGS?"

MA TZU SAID, "WHEN YOU HAVE DRUNK ALL THE WATER IN THE YANGTZE RIVER, I WILL TELL YOU." AT THIS, KOJI UNDERWENT ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE AND COMPOSED A SECOND VERSE:

"THE TEN DIRECTIONS CONVERGING,

EACH LEARNING TO DO NOTHING,

THIS IS THE HALL OF BUDDHA'S TRAINING;

MIND IS EMPTY, ALL IS FINISHED."

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 11

Only creation shows your power

BELOVED ZORBA THE BUDDHA,

WHEN KOKO, A DISCIPLE OF JOSHU, WENT TO SEE MASTER HOGEN, HE WAS ASKED WHERE HE HAD BEEN RECENTLY.

"WITH JOSHU," HE ANSWERED.

HOGEN ASKED, "I HAVE HEARD ABOUT JOSHU AND THE OAK TREE; ISN'T THIS SO?"

KOKO SAID, "IT IS NOT SO!"

HOGEN COMMENTED, "BUT EVERYONE SAYS THAT WHEN A MONK ASKED ABOUT THE MEANING OF DARUMA'S COMING FROM THE WEST, JOSHU ANSWERED, 'THE OAK TREE IN THE FRONT GARDEN.' HOW CAN YOU SAY IT WAS NOT SO?"

KOKO REPLIED, "MY MASTER SAID NOTHING OF THE KIND! PLEASE DO NOT INSULT THE LATE MASTER."

HOGEN COMMENTED, "TRULY YOU ARE A LION'S CUB!"

ON ANOTHER OCCASION, A MAN SAID TO KOKO, "ALL MY LIFE I HAVE KILLED COWS AND ENJOYED IT; IS THIS SIN OR NOT?"

"IT IS NOT," SAID KOKO.

"WHY NOT?" THE MAN ASKED.

"ONE KILLED, ONE GIVEN BACK," WAS KOKO'S ANSWER.

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 10

When I call you my friends, I mean it

BELOVED BUDDHA,

A NON-BUDDHIST SCHOLAR, MEETING MASTER DAIZUI, GAVE HIM A BOWL. A MONK OBSERVING THIS ASKED DAIZUI, "WHAT DID YOU USE BEFORE HE PRESENTED YOU WITH THE BOWL?"

DAIZUI SAID, "I USED THE ONE I SHALL USE ON MY LAST DAY ON EARTH."

ONCE, DAIZUI WAS ASKED, "WHEN ALL THINGS ARE ANNIHILATED, WILL THAT ALSO BE ANNIHILATED?"

"IT WILL BE ANNIHILATED," SAID DAIZUI.

ON ANOTHER OCCASION, A MONK ASKED DAIZUI, "I AM TOLD THAT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE A GREAT FIRE TAKES PLACE AND EVERYTHING IS DESTROYED. MAY I ASK YOU WHETHER OR NOT THIS ALSO SHARES THAT FATE?"

DAIZUI REPLIED, "YES, IT DOES."

THE MONK WENT ON, "IF THAT IS THE CASE, IT MUST BE SAID THAT THIS FOLLOWS OTHERS."

DAIZUI SAID, "YES, IT DOES."

THE SAME QUESTION WAS LATER ASKED OF ANOTHER MASTER WHOSE NAME WAS SHU.

HE ANSWERED, "NO, THIS DOES NOT FOLLOW OTHERS."

WHEN HE WAS ASKED "WHY NOT?" THE MASTER REPLIED, "BECAUSE IT IDENTIFIES

ITSELF WITH THE WHOLE UNIVERSE."

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 09

Be ready to be chopped

BELOVED BUDDHA,

MAYOKU CAME TO SHOKEI CARRYING HIS BELL STAFF WITH HIM. HE CIRCUMNAVIGATED SHOKEI'S SEAT THREE TIMES, SHOOK HIS STAFF, RINGING THE BELLS, STUCK THE STAFF IN THE GROUND, AND THEN STOOD UP STRAIGHT.

SHOKEI SAID, "GOOD."

MAYOKU THEN WENT TO NANSEN. HE WALKED AROUND NANSEN'S SEAT, SHOOK HIS STAFF, RINGING THE BELLS, STUCK THE STAFF IN THE GROUND AND STOOD UP STRAIGHT.

NANSEN SAID, "WRONG."

MAYOKU SAID, "SHOKEI SAID, 'GOOD'; WHY DO YOU SAY, 'WRONG'?"

NANSEN SAID, "SHOKEI IS 'GOOD,' BUT YOU ARE WRONG. YOU ARE BLOWN ABOUT BY THE WIND. THAT WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION."

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 08

Truth has no history

BELOVED BUDDHA,

A MONK CAME TO SEE MASTER DAIZUI, AND SAID TO HIM, "MOUNT GOTAI AND MOUNT DAIZUI - WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? HOW IS MOUNT DAIZUI?"

DAIZUI SAID, "SPEAK LOUDER - I'M HARD OF HEARING."

THE MONK REPEATED THE QUESTION IN A LOUD VOICE.

DAIZUI SAID: "IT IS LIKE A THOUSAND MOUNTAINS, TEN THOUSAND MOUNTAINS!"

ON ANOTHER OCCASION A MONK SAID, "ONE OF THE ANCIENTS STOOD IN THE SNOW AND CUT OFF HIS ARM. WHAT TRUTH WAS HE SEEKING?"

DAIZUI REPLIED, "HE DIDN'T CUT OFF HIS ARM."

THE MONK PROTESTED, "HE did CUT IT OFF! WHY DO YOU SAY THAT HE DIDN'T?"

DAIZUI OBSERVED, "HE WAS ENJOYING BEING IN THE SNOW."

AT ANOTHER TIME, A MONK BOWED TO THE STATUE OF MANJUSHRI, IN THE PRESENCE OF DAIZUI. THE MASTER LIFTED UP HIS MOSQUITO-FLAPPER AND SAID, "MANJUSHRI AND SAMANTABHADRA ARE BOTH CONTAINED IN THIS."

THE MONK DREW A CIRCLE, THREW IT BEHIND HIM, AND THEN STRETCHED OUT HIS

ARMS. DAIZUI TOLD THE ATTENDANT TO GIVE THE MONK A CUP OF TEA.

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 07

The world of the gurus has ended

BELOVED BUDDHA,

ONCE, AFTER DAIJI HAD BECOME AN ENLIGHTENED MASTER, HE SAID TO HIS MONKS, "I'M NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN ANY MORE DEBATES; YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A DISEASE."

AT THIS, A MONK STOOD UP FROM THE ASSEMBLY AND CAME FORWARD; DAIJI WENT BACK TO HIS ROOM.

ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN DAIJI WAS SWEEPING THE GROUND, JOSHU ASKED HIM HOW TO MANIFEST PRAJNA.

DAIJI REPEATED, "HOW CAN WE MANIFEST PRAJNA?" AT THIS, JOSHU GAVE A GREAT LAUGH.

THE NEXT DAY, SEEING JOSHU SWEEPING THE GROUND, DAIJI ASKED HIM, "HOW CAN WE MANIFEST PRAJNA?" JOSHU PUT DOWN HIS BROOM AND LAUGHED ALOUD, CLAPPING HIS HANDS.

DAIJI WENT BACK TO HIS ROOM.

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 06

My change has taken me higher

BELOVED BUDDHA,

ONCE A DISCIPLE OF MA TZU, CALLED IKAN, WAS ASKED BY A MONK, "HAS THE DOG THE BUDDHA-NATURE OR NOT?"

IKAN REPLIED YES, AND THE MONK THEN ASKED, "HAVE YOU GOT IT OR NOT?"

IKAN RESPONDED, "I HAVE NOT."

THEN THE MONK ASKED, "ALL EXISTENT CREATURES HAVE THE BUDDHA-NATURE; HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVEN'T?"

IKAN SAID, "I DON'T BELONG TO ALL EXISTENT CREATURES."

THE MONK COMMENTED, "YOU SAY YOU DON'T BELONG TO ALL EXISTENT CREATURES.

THIS 'YOU' - IS IT A BUDDHA OR NOT?"

IKAN SAID, "IT IS NOT A BUDDHA."

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 05

I am just myself

BELOVED BUDDHA,

CHOSA WAS A DISCIPLE OF NANSEN AND A CONTEMPORARY OF TOKUSAN, RINZAI AND ISAN. ONE DAY CHOSA WENT FOR A WALK AND WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE GATE, THE HEAD MONK ASKED HIM, "OSHO, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN STROLLING?"

CHOSA REPLIED, "I HAVE COME FROM WALKING IN THE HILLS."

THE HEAD MONK SAID, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

CHOSA SAID, "FIRST I WENT FOLLOWING THE FRAGRANT GRASSES, AND NOW I HAVE RETURNED IN PURSUIT OF THE FALLING BLOSSOMS."

AT THIS THE HEAD MONK COMMENTED, "YOU ARE FULL OF THE SPRING."

CHOSA REPLIED, "BETTER THAN THE AUTUMN DEWS FALLING ON THE LOTUS LEAVES."

ONE EVENING CHOSA (WHO WAS KYOZAN'S "UNCLE" IN THE DHARMA LINEAGE) WAS ENJOYING THE MOONLIGHT WITH KYOZAN, WHO SAID, "EVERYONE HAS 'THIS ONE THING' BUT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO USE IT."

CHOSA REPLIED, "PERHAPS I SHOULD EMPLOY YOU AND USE IT."

KYOZAN EXCLAIMED, "TRY IT!"

INSTANTLY, CHOSA TRAMPLED ON KYOZAN.

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 04

In your eyes is the hope of the world

BELOVED BUDDHA,

ONE DAY WHEN ISAN AND THE MONKS WERE ENGAGED IN PICKING TEA LEAVES, ISAN CALLED TO KYOZAN, "ALL DAY I HAVE HEARD YOUR VOICE AND NOT SEEN YOU." KYOZAN, INSTEAD OF SAYING ANYTHING, SHOOK A TEA PLANT.

ISAN SAID, "YOU HAVE GOT THE USE, BUT NOT THE SUBJECT."

"I ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU SAY?" SAID KYOZAN. ISAN KEPT SILENT.

THEN KYOZAN SAID, "YOU HAVE GOT THE SUBJECT, BUT NOT THE USE."

MORE THAN TEN DISCIPLES OF KYOZAN'S BECAME ENLIGHTENED.

A FEW YEARS BEFORE KYOZAN PASSED AWAY, HE COMPOSED THE FOLLOWING GATHA:

WHEN MY YEARS REACH

SEVENTY-SEVEN

MY DEPARTURE WILL TAKE PLACE.

I WILL LEAVE IT TO MY NATURE

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 03

A meeting of two rivers

BELOVED BUDDHA,

ONCE KAKUSAN WENT TO SEE KYOZAN. RAISING HIS FOOT, KAKUSAN SAID, "THE TWENTY- EIGHT INDIAN PATRIARCHS WERE LIKE THIS, AND THE SIX PATRIARCHS OF THE COUNTRY OF T'ANG WERE LIKE THIS, AND YOU ARE LIKE THIS, AND I AM LIKE THIS!"

KYOZAN CAME DOWN FROM THE ZEN SEAT AND HIT HIM FOUR TIMES WITH THE WISTERIA STAFF.

AFTER KAKUSAN BECAME ENLIGHTENED, AN ASCETIC ONCE SAID TO HIM, "WHAT IS THE TRUE MEANING OF BUDDHISM?"

KAKUSAN REMAINED SILENT AND BOWED TO HIM.

THE ASCETIC ASKED, "ARE YOU BOWING TO A MAN OF THE WORLD?"

KAKUSAN REPLIED, "DON'T YOU SEE WHAT I AM SAYING? I AM YOUR FAMOUS DISCIPLE!"

AT ANOTHER TIME KYOZAN, ON SEEING A MONK APPROACH HIM, RAISED HIS MOSQUITO FLAPPER. AT THIS, THE MONK SHOUTED LOUDLY, "KWATZ!"

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 02

An assembly of two buddhas

BELOVED BUDDHA,

ON ONE OCCASION WHEN A MONK ASKED KYOZAN THE MEANING OF BODHIDHARMA COMING FROM THE WEST, KYOZAN DREW A CIRCLE IN THE AIR AND PUT THE CHARACTER FOR BUDDHA INSIDE IT. THIS LEFT THE MONK WITHOUT WORDS.

AT ANOTHER TIME, KYOZAN WAS LIVING IN SEKITEI TEMPLE IN KOSHU. A MONK CAME UP TO HIM AND SAID, "MASTER, DO YOU KNOW CHINESE CHARACTERS?"

"AS FAR AS BEFITS MY POSITION," RESPONDED KYOZAN.

THE MONK THEN CIRCLED KYOZAN ONCE IN THE ANTI-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND

ASKED HIM, "WHAT CHARACTER IS THIS?"

KYOZAN DREW THE CHARACTER FOR THE NUMBER TEN. THEN THE MONK WALKED

AROUND HIM IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND ASKED WHAT CHARACTER THAT WAS.

KYOZAN CHANGED THE FIGURE TEN (WHICH LOOKS LIKE A PLUS SIGN) INTO A SWASTIKA.

No Mind: The Flowers of Eternity - 01

To create a few more rainbows

BELOVED BHAGWAN,

ONCE A MONK WAS ASKED BY KYOZAN, "WHERE HAVE YOU COME FROM?" TO WHICH THE MONK REPLIED, "FROM YUSHU."

KYOZAN THEN ASKED HIM, "I'D LIKE TO KNOW SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YUSHU; WHAT'S THE PRICE OF RICE THERE?"

THE MONK REPLIED, "AS I WAS COMING HERE, I UNINTENTIONALLY PASSED OVER THE BRIDGE OF THAT TOWN AND TROD ON THE GIRDERS OF THE BRIDGE, BREAKING THEM."

ON ANOTHER OCCASION KYOZAN WAS WASHING HIS CLOTHES AND TANGEN ASKED HIM, "WHAT SHOULD WE DO AT THIS MOMENT?"

KYOZAN ANSWERED, "AT THIS MOMENT WHERE SHALL WE LOOK?"

TANGEN MADE NO REPLY.