Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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."

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