Returning to the Source - Chapter-10

So Teng Died Standing On His Head

WHEN TENG YIN FENG WAS ABOUT TO DIE HE SAID TO THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM: I HAVE SEEN MONKS DIE SITTING AND LYING, BUT HAVE ANY DIED STANDING? 'YES, SOME,' THEY REPLIED.

'HOW ABOUT UPSIDE-DOWN?' ASKED TENG. 'NO, NEVER SUCH A THING,' THEY SAID. SO TENG DIED STANDING ON HIS HEAD AND HIS CLOTHES ALSO ROSE UP, CLOSE TO HIS BODY.

IT WAS DECIDED TO CARRY HIM TO THE BURNING GROUND, BUT HE STILL STOOD THERE WITHOUT MOVING. PEOPLE FROM FAR AND NEAR GAZED WITH ASTONISHMENT AT THE SCENE.

HIS YOUNGER SISTER, A NUN, HAPPENED TO BE THERE. SHE GRUMBLED AT HIM: WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE, YOU TOOK NO NOTICE OF LAWS AND CUSTOMS; AND EVEN NOW YOU'RE DEAD, YOU'RE MAKING A NUISANCE OF YOURSELF.

SHE THEN PRODDED HER BROTHER WITH HER FINGER, AND HE FELL DOWN WITH A BANG. THEN THEY WENT OFF TO THE CREMATORIUM.

Death is the root of all fear, and if there is fear, you cannot live. With fear there is no life. If there is fear you are already dead.

This is the vicious circle - you are afraid of death, and because of fear you cannot live, you are already dead. Then you become more afraid and the fear creeps into your very center; you become just a trembling.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-09

He Did Not Feel It So Deeply

AN OLD MAN WHO WAS BORN IN YEN, BUT GREW UP IN CHU'U DECIDED TO RETURN TO HIS NATIVE COUNTRY.

WHILE HE WAS PASSING THROUGH THE STATE OF CHIN HIS COMPANIONS DECIDED TO PLAY A JOKE ON HIM.

POINTING TO A CITY THEY SAID TO HIM: THIS IS THE CAPITAL OF YEN. THE OLD MAN COMPOSED HIMSELF AND LOOKED SOLEMN. INSIDE THE CITY THEY POINTED OUT A SHRINE: THIS IS THE SHRINE OF YOUR QUARTER. HE BREATHED A DEEP SIGH. THEY POINTED OUT A HUT: THIS WAS YOUR FATHER'S COTTAGE. TEARS WELLED UP. THEY POINTED OUT A MOUND: THIS IS YOUR FATHER'S TOMB. HE COULD NOT HELP WEEPING ALOUD.

HIS COMPANIONS ROARED WITH LAUGHTER: WE ARE TEASING YOU - YOU ARE STILL ONLY IN CHIN. THE OLD MAN WAS VERY EMBARRASSED.

WHEN HE REACHED YEN, AND REALLY SAW THE CAPITAL, AND THE SHRINE OF HIS QUARTER, AND HIS FATHER'S COTTAGE AND TOMB, HE DID NOT FEEL IT SO DEEPLY.

Your whole world is in your mind. Or rather, your whole world is your mind - nothing else exists.

Whatsoever you see is a projection. Whatsoever you feel is also a projection. That's why Hindus have always been saying that the world is illusory. It is a mirage, it appears but it is not there. And how can this illusion be transcended?

If you can understand it as an illusion, you are already on the way to transcending it. If a dream is realized as a dream, you are already moving away from it, you are awakening.

The world that you see is not the reality, because the reality can be seen only when there is no mind.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-08

The First Principle

THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL LETTERS CARVED OVER THE GATE OF THE OAKU TEMPLE IN KYOTO WHICH SAY: THE FIRST PRINCIPLE. PEOPLE COME FROM FAR AND NEAR TO ADMIRE THEM. THE ORIGINAL CALLIGRAPHY WAS DONE ON PAPER BY THE MASTER KOSEN. WHEN KOSEN WAS DRAWING THE CHARACTERS THERE WAS A PUPIL STANDING BY WHO HAD MIXED THE INK. 'NOT SO GOOD,' SAID THE PUPIL AT KOSEN'S FIRST TRY.

'THAT'S WORSE THAN THE FIRST ONE,' SAID THE PUPIL TO THE SECOND TRY. AND SO IT WENT ON. AFTER THE SIXTY-FOURTH TRY, THE INK WAS RUNNING LOW, SO THE PUPIL WENT OUT TO MIX SOME MORE. 'JUST A QUICK ONE WITH THE LAST OF THE INK,'

THOUGHT KOSEN, 'WHILE THAT PUPIL IS OUT OF THE WAY.' WHEN THE PUPIL RETURNED, HE TOOK A GOOD LOOK AS THIS LATEST EFFORT, AND SAID: A MASTERPIECE!

A few things before we enter this beautiful story. First, if you are divided, then a conflict arises not only in the mind, but in your bio-energy - then you are two. And if you are two, energy is wasted in the conflict; the energy is dissipated. Unless you are one, nothing can be done. As far as the inner journey is concerned, your oneness will be needed more and more. On the surface it is okay; you can go on doing the day-to-day work even if you are divided.

Just imagine a circle with a center: if you draw two lines from the periphery towards the center, on the periphery they are divided; the more you come towards the center, the more the gap becomes less and less and less; just near the center the gap is almost not; at the center the gap disappears.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-07

Snowflakes As Beautiful As These Don't Fall

FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS, HOUN, A LAYMAN DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF ZEN, LIVED AT YAKUSAN TEMPLE, AND UNDERTOOK DISCIPLINE UNDER MASTER IGEN.

THE DAY CAME WHEN HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO HIS FAMILY. THE MASTER ASKED TEN OF HIS DISCIPLES TO SEE HIM OFF AT THE GATE.

IT WAS SNOWING, AND HOUN, LOOKING UP, SAID: LOVELY, SNOWFLAKES AS BEAUTIFUL AS THESE DON'T FALL ELSEWHERE.

'ELSEWHERE', SAID ONE OF THE TEN, 'WHERE IS THIS ELSEWHERE?' AT THIS HOUN SLAPPED HIS FACE.

'WHY DID YOU DO THAT DEAR LAYMAN?' ASKED THE DISCIPLE, RUBBING HIS CHEEK.

'HOW CAN YOU POSE AS A ZEN-MAN?' HOUN SAID ANGRILY.'YOU'RE DOOMED TO HELL.'

'AND YOU?' THE DISCIPLE CRIED. 'WHAT ABOUT YOURSELF?' HOUN SLAPPED HIM AGAIN.

'YOU'VE EYES, BUT YOU WON'T SEE,' HE SAID OVER HIS SHOULDER AS HE MOVED OFF,' AND YOU HAVE A MOUTH, BUT YOU'RE DUMB.'

A few things before we enter this beautiful anecdote. First, time should be forgotten completely. If you want to enter meditation time should not be of concern to you. If you are in a hurry then nothing is possible, and this has become a most deeply rooted problem for the modern man. The West has made people too time-conscious, not knowing where they are going, but speeding to get there because time is short.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-06

Where Can You Go And Not Be Loved

WHEN YANG CHU WAS PASSING THROUGH SUNG HE SPENT THE NIGHT AT AN INN.

THE INNKEEPER HAD TWO CONCUBINES - ONE BEAUTIFUL, AND THE OTHER UGLY.

THE UGLY ONE HE VALUED, AND THE BEAUTIFUL ONE HE NEGLECTED. WHEN YANG CHU ASKED THE REASON, THE FELLOW ANSWERED: THE BEAUTIFUL ONE THINKS HERSELF BEAUTIFUL, AND I DO NOT NOTICE HER BEAUTY; THE UGLY ONE THINKS HERSELF UGLY, AND I DO NOT NOTICE HER UGLINESS.

YANG CHU SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: REMEMBER THIS - IF YOU ACT NOBLY AND BANISH FROM YOUR MIND THE THOUGHT THAT YOU ARE NOBLE, WHERE CAN YOU GO AND NOT BE LOVED?

The ego exists through self-consciousness; it cannot exist otherwise. But remember, self- consciousness is not the consciousness of the Self: self-consciousness is not self-remembering, self-consciousness is in fact not consciousness at all. It is an unconscious state. When you are self-conscious you are not alert, you are not aware; you don't know that you are self-conscious. If you become aware, self-consciousness disappears. If you become a witness, then it is not found there.

Remember one criterion: whatsoever disappears through awareness is illusory, and whatsoever remains through awareness, not only remains, but becomes more crystallized - is real. Make it a criterion - consciousness is the touchstone.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-05

How Does Buddhism Explain Egotism

THE PRIME MINISTER, KUO TZU I, OF THE TANG DYNASTY, WAS AN OUTSTANDING STATESMAN, A DISTINGUISHED GENERAL, AND THE MOST ADMIRED NATIONAL HERO OF HIS DAY. BUT FAME, POWER, WEALTH AND SUCCESS COULD NOT DISTRACT HIM FROM

HIS KEEN INTEREST AND DEVOTION TO BUDDHISM. REGARDING HIMSELF AS A PLAIN AND HUMBLE DEVOTED BUDDHIST, HE OFTEN VISITED HIS FAVORITE ZEN MASTER TO STUDY UNDER HIM.

HE AND THE ZEN MASTER SEEMED TO GET ALONG VERY WELL. THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE PRIME MINISTER SEEMED TO HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON THEIR ASSOCIATION.

THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE TRACE OF POLITENESS ON THE ZEN MASTER'S PART, OR OF VAIN LOFTINESS ON THE PART OF THE MINISTER; THE ASSOCIATION SEEMED TO BE THE PURELY RELIGIOUS ONE OF A REVERED MASTER AND AN OBEDIENT DISCIPLE.

ONE DAY, HOWEVER, WHEN HE WAS PAYING HIS USUAL VISIT TO THE ZEN MASTER, HE ASKED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: YOUR REVERENCE, HOW DOES BUDDHISM EXPLAIN EGOTISM? THE ZEN MASTER'S FACE SUDDENLY TURNED BLUE, AND IN AN EXTREMELY HAUGHTY AND CONTEMPTUOUS MANNER HE SAID TO THE PREMIER: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YOU NUMSKULL? THIS UNREASONABLE AND UNEXPECTED DEFIANCE SO HURT THE FEELINGS OF THE PRIME MINISTER THAT A SLIGHT SULLEN EXPRESSION OF ANGER BEGAN TO SHOW ON HIS FACE.

THE ZEN MASTER THEN SMILED AND SAID: YOUR EXCELLENCY, THIS IS EGOTISM.

Ego is the basic problem, the most basic. And unless you solve it, nothing is solved. Unless ego disappears, the Ultimate cannot penetrate you.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-04

Suppose My Hand Were Always Like That?

MOKUSEN HIKI WAS LIVING IN A TEMPLE IN THE PROVINCE OF TAMBA. ONE OF HIS ADHERENTS COMPLAINED OF THE STINGINESS OF HIS WIFE.

MOKUSEN VISITED THE ADHERENT'S WIFE AND HELD HIS CLENCHED FIST BEFORE HER FACE.

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?' ASKED THE SURPRISED WOMAN. 'SUPPOSE MY HAND WERE ALWAYS LIKE THAT, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL IT?' 'DEFORMED,' REPLIED THE WOMAN.

THEN HE OPENED HIS HAND FLAT IN HER FACE AND ASKED: SUPPOSE IT WERE ALWAYS LIKE THAT - WHAT THEN? 'ANOTHER KIND OF DEFORMITY,' SAID THE WIFE.

'IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT MUCH,' FINISHED MOKUSEN, 'YOU ARE A GOOD WIFE.' THEN HE LEFT.

AFTER HIS VISIT THIS WIFE HELPED HER HUSBAND TO DISTRIBUTE AS WELL AS TO SAVE.

The greatest art is to attain a balance, a balance between all opposites, a balance between all polarities. Imbalance is the disease and balance is health. Imbalance is neurosis, and balance is well-being.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-03

It Is Very Sharp

NANSEN, THE FAMOUS CHINESE ZEN MASTER, WAS IN THE WOODS ONE DAY, NEAR THE TEMPLE, CUTTING DOWN TREES WITH A HUGE AXE.

A MONK WHO HAD COME FROM A DISTANCE TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE MASTER, PASSED THROUGH THE WOODS AND CAME CLOSE TO THE WOODCUTTER. 'IS THE ABBOT OF NANSEN AT HOME?' HE ASKED THE WOODCUTTER.

THE WOODCUTTER REPLIED TO THE MONK: I BOUGHT THIS AXE FOR TWO PIECES OF COPPER. AND LIFTING THE AXE ABOVE THE ASTONISHED MONK'S HEAD HE ADDED: IT IS VERY SHARP.

THE MONK FLED IN DISMAY - TO DISCOVER LATER THAT THE WOODCUTTER WAS NANSEN HIMSELF.

The first thing to be understood, and understood as deeply as possible is that Zen is nothing special.

It is nothing extraordinary. The people who are in search of religion are always, almost always, very egoistic. Their very search starts because their egos are not satisfied with this world. They would like something more precious, to be more of the Divine - something extraordinary. Egoists are attracted towards religion more easily, and this is the problem - because religion says that if the ego is there, there can be no growth. And egoists are easily attracted towards religion but religion starts only when you drop the ego.

But this world is temporary; nothing is permanent here and the ego would like something permanent, eternal. Everything in this world is made of the same stuff as dreams, and the ego is not content.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-02

Throw It Out!

JOSHU WAS A MASTER WHO STARTED TO STUDY ZEN WHEN HE WAS SIXTY. WHEN HE WAS EIGHTY HE FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT. THEY SAY HE TAUGHT FOR FORTY YEARS AFTER HIS ENLIGHTENMENT.

ONCE A STUDENT ASKED OLD JOSHU: 'YOU TEACH THAT WE SHOULD EMPTY OUR MINDS.

I HAVE NOTHING IN MY MIND - NOW WHAT SHOULD I DO? 'THROW IT OUT,' SAID JOSHU.

'BUT I HAVE NOTHING - HOW CAN I THROW IT OUT?' JOSHU SAID:' IF YOU CAN'T THROW IT OUT, CARRY IT OUT, DRIVE IT OUT, EMPTY IT OUT - BUT DON'T STAND THERE IN FRONT OF ME WITH NOTHING IN YOUR MIND !'

What is Joshu's single note? This is the single note - emptiness. This is the lotus flower that Buddha transmitted to Mahakashyap. And this is what all of the Buddhas have been teaching through the ages - be empty. The ego wants to be All. The All happens, but it happens through emptiness, and therein lies the difficulty, the impossibility of it. You can become perfect, but if perfection is the ideal, then you will miss it. You can become perfect through being totally empty. That seems inconceivable for the mind, because the mind says: To be perfect one has to make much effort, to be perfect one has to create an ideal in the future, and one has to make effort to reach the goal. The goal happens.

Perfection comes to man, man need not go there. The goal comes to you. Nobody has ever gone to the goal. It has always been otherwise; the goal comes to you when you are empty. And to be empty is just the opposite, just the opposite of all efforts towards perfection, because perfection means you would like to be God himself. Perfection means you would like yourself eternally, infinitely, spread all over. Emptiness is just the opposite - you have to destroy yourself utterly. Not even a trace should be left behind. When your house is empty, the guest comes. When you are no more, the goal has been attained.

Returning to the Source - Chapter-01

One Short Note

KAKUA WAS THE FIRST JAPANESE TO STUDY ZEN IN CHINA, AND WHILE HE WAS THERE HE ACCEPTED THE TRUE TEACHING.

WHEN HE WAS IN CHINA HE DID NOT TRAVEL. HE LIVED IN A REMOTE PART OF A MOUNTAIN AND MEDITATED CONSTANTLY.

WHENEVER PEOPLE FOUND HIM AND ASKED HIM TO PREACH, HE WOULD SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN MOVE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE MOUNTAIN WHERE HE COULD BE FOUND LESS EASILY.

WHEN KAKUA RETURNED TO JAPAN, THE EMPEROR HEARD ABOUT HIM AND ASKED

HIM TO COME TO COURT TO PREACH ZEN FOR THE EDIFICATION OF HIMSELF AND HIS SUBJECTS.

KAKUA STOOD BEFORE THE EMPEROR IN SILENCE. HE THEN PRODUCED A FLUTE

FROM THE FOLDS OF HIS ROBES, BLEW ONE SHORT NOTE, BOWED POLITELY, AND

DISAPPEARED. NO ONE EVER KNEW WHAT BECAME OF HIM.

The real teaching cannot be taught, but still it is called a teaching. It cannot be taught, but it can be shown, indicated. There is no way to say it directly, but there are millions of ways to indicate it indirectly.

Lao Tzu says that the Truth cannot be said, and the moment you say it, you have already falsified it. The words, the language, the mind, are utterly incapable. Truth defies reason; it defies the head- oriented personality; it defies the ego. It cannot be manipulated. It is utterly impossible for reason to encounter it.