8/25/2023 0 Comments Best zen koansHe said, “Your student cannot pacify his mind. Finally, he severed his own arm and presented it to Bodhidharma. The Second Patriarch of Chinese C’han, Huiko, stood long in the thick snow. Bodhidharma sat facing the stone wall.The sound of something struck! - and I have forgotten all I knew.Words and no-word: it is like a vine twining around a tree.Hoshan imparted some words saying, “Cultivating study is called ‘learning ’ cutting off study is called ‘nearness’ going beyond these two is to be considered real going beyond.” A monk came forward and asked, “What is real going beyond?” Hoshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum!” Again the monk asked, “What is the real truth?” Hoshan said, “Knowing how to beat the drum!” Blue Cliff Record.If you cannot, I will kill it!” No monk could answer. Nansen, holding up the cat, said, “Monks, if you can say a word of Zen, I will spare the cat. Once the monks of the Eastern Hall and the Western Hall were disputing about a cat.As soon as there are words spoken, ‘this is picking and choosing,’ ‘this is clarity.’ This old monk does not abide within clarity do you still preserve anything or not?”At that time a certain monk asked, “Since you do not bide within clarity, what do you preserve?” Chao Chou replied, “I don’t know either.” The monk said, “Since you don’t know, Teacher, why do you nevertheless say that you do not abide within clarity? Chao Chou said, “It is enough to ask about the matter now go and withdraw.” Blue Cliff Record Chao Chou, teaching the assembly said, “The Ultimate Path is without difficulty just avoid picking and choosing.Affirmation is not the answer negation is not the answer both affirmation and negation is not the answer.Emperor Wu of Liang asked the great master Bodhidharma, “What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?” Bodhidharma said, ”Vast emptiness, no holiness.” The Emperor said, “Who is facing me?” Bodhidharma replied, “I don’t know.” The Emperor did not understand.At such a time, how should he answer?” Gateless Gate If he does not answer, he does not meet the questioner’s need. Another man comes under the tree and asks him the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from the West. Master Kyogen said, “It is like a man up a tree who hangs by a branch from his mouth his hands cannot grasp a bough, his feet cannot touch the tree.What is the sound of one hand clapping?.They are actually a continual flow, each containing and giving rise to the others. In speaking about the Three Tenets as separate practices and phases of consciousness, we are making deference to the discriminating mind. This gives rise to the holistic, integrated, wrap-around style of service projects inspired by Bernie’s vision. From this intimate “knowing,” we can then choose an appropriate response to the person or situation, described as “Action arising from Not Knowing and Bearing Witness,” our third Tenet. In this state we can Bear Witness, the second Tenet, merging or joining with an individual, situation or environment, deeply imbibing their essence. Not-knowing drops our conceptual framework from very personal biases and assumptions around such concepts as “in and out” “good and bad” “name and form,” “coming and going.” Not-knowing is a state of open presence without separation. ![]() ![]() Specifically, these practices suspend separation and hierarchy, and open direct encounter between equals as the spirit and style of the services offered through Zen Houses. Using the Three Tenets as an orientation transforms service into spiritual practice. The Three Tenets serve as the foundation for the Zen Peacemakers’ work and practice. Doing Action arising from Not Knowing and Bearing Witness.Bearing witness to the joy and suffering of the world.Not-knowing, thereby giving up fixed ideas about ourselves and the universe.Comments by Bernie are below, followed by the collection of koans.Įntering the stream of Socially Engaged Spirituality, I vow to live a life of: Roshi Eve Myonen Marko and Bernie Glassman have started a Koan System based on the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers.
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