Tongue Tied

Shuzan’s Bamboo Spatula

Master Shuzan held out his bamboo spatula and asked, “If you call this a bamboo spatula, you give umbrage (to the principle of Zen). If you call this no bamboo spatula, you violate the law (of common-sense). What will all of you call this?”


The Commentary

Should you call this a bamboo spatula, you would give umbrage. Should you call this no bamboo spatula, you would betray the law. Both to speak out will not do, and no word will be of any use either. Quickly say, quickly say!


The Verse
Bringing out the bamboo spatula,
Shuzan demanded the order of life or death.
Being put to either the umbrage or the betrayal,
Even Buddha and Patriarchs would beg for their lives.

A Scientific Heresy

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."--Albert Einstein

A Puzzling State of Mind

Joshu asked Nansen, “What is the way?”

Nansen answered, “Your ordinary mind--that is the way.”

Joshu said, “Does it go in any particular direction?"

Nansen replied, “The more you seek after it, the more it runs away.”

Joshu: “Then how can you know it is the way?”

Nansen: “The way does not belong to knowing or not knowing. Knowing is illusion. Not knowing is lack of discrimination. When you get to this perplexed way, it is like the vastness of space, an unfathomable void, so how can it be this or that, yes or no?”

Upon this Joshu came to a sudden realization.

--As translated by R.H. Blyth

Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki reminds us what is true intuitive activity: "So even if the sun were to rise from the west, the Bodhisattva has only one way. His way is in each moment to express his nature and his sincerity."