Essays in Zen Buddhism
D.T. Suzuki
2,061 passages indexed from Essays in Zen Buddhism (D.T. Suzuki) — Page 12 of 42
License: Public Domain
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 658
A mind really sincere and thoroughly purified is the necessary preliminary to the understanding of reality in its suchness. As the result we have “ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti,” and this came later to be formulated by the Mahayanists into the doctrine of Thatness or Suchness (_bhūtatathatā_).
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 141
Everything that has a name thereby limits itself. Therefore, the old master of Chiang-hsi declared that ‘it is neither mind, nor Buddha, nor a thing.’ It was in this way that he wished to guide his followers, while these days they vainly endeavour to experience the Great Way by hypostatising such an entity as mind.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 927
And when oneness is not thoroughly understood, In two ways loss is sustained— The denial of reality may lead to its absolute negation, While the upholding of the void may result in contradicting itself. Wordiness and intellection— The more with them the further astray we go; Away therefore with wordiness and intellection, And there is no place where we cannot pass freely.[f98]
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1552
Their industry is proverbial. When the day is not set for study at home, they are generally seen, soon after breakfast, about half past five in summer and about half past six in winter, out in the monastery grounds, or in the neighbouring villages for begging, or tilling the farm attached to the Zendo. They keep the monastery, inside as well as outside, in perfect order. When we sometimes say, “This is like a Zen monastery,” it means that the place is kept in the neatest possible order.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 123
In answer I append these two passages, one from Jimyo (Tz‘u-ming)[1.26] and the other from Yengo (Yüan-wu): In one of his sermons, Jimyo said: “As soon as one particle of dust is raised, the great earth manifests itself there in its entirety. In one lion are revealed millions of lions, and in millions of lions is revealed one lion. Thousands and thousands of them there are indeed, but know ye just one, one only.” So saying he lifted up his staff, and continued, “Here is my own staff, and where is that one lion?” Bursting out into a “Kwats” (_hê_), he set the staff down, and left the pulpit.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1478
The chief official answered: “When I was under Seiho (Ch‘ing-fêng) I got an idea as to the truth of Zen.” “What is your understanding then?” demanded the master. “When I asked my master, who was the Buddha, he said, Ping-ting T‘ung-tsŭ comes for fire.” “It is a fine answer,” said Hōgen, “but probably you misunderstand it.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 745
Thus resolved, the Buddha finally came to realise Supreme Enlightenment for which he had belaboured for ever so many lives. How does this vary from his former attainments under Uddaka and Ālāra Kālāma? Let him express himself:
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1527
This space is used for practising an exercise known as “kinhin”[7.7] (_ching-hsing_) which means literally “sutra-walking.” The space allotted to each monk on the _tatami_ floor does not exceed one mat, three by six feet, where he sits, meditates, and sleeps at night. The bedding for each is never more than one large wadded quilt, summer or winter. He has no regular pillow except that which is temporarily made up by himself out of his own private possessions.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 197
Thus to know what Buddhism is will be to get into the life of Buddhism and to understand it from the inside as it unfolds itself objectively in history. Therefore, the definition of Buddhism must be that of the life-force which carries forward a spiritual movement called Buddhism.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1393
The “repetitive” method as in other cases conclusively demonstrates that the so-called answering is not to explain but to point the way where Zen is to be intuited. To conceive the truth as something external which is to be perceived by a perceiving subject, is dualistic and appeals to the intellect for its understanding, but according to Zen we are living right in the truth, by the truth, from which we cannot be separated.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 358
Whatever this was, it is evident that the Buddha like the other Indian leaders of thought endeavoured to make his disciples realise in themselves the content of Enlightenment by means of dhyana, or concentration. They were thus made to gradually progress from a comparatively simple exercise up to the highest stage of concentration in which the dualism of the One and the Many vanished even to the extent of a total cessation of mentation. Apart from these general spiritual exercises, the Buddha at various times told his followers to meditate on such objects[f43] as would make them masters of their disturbing passions and intellectual entanglements.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 776
They think that Buddhism is a positivism as philosophy and its Brotherhood (_saṁgha_) a body of moral ascetics. They praise the Buddha as the originator of a scientific religious system free from spiritualistic superstitions which so frequently and abundantly grow around religion. But we know better because these comments are not in full accord with the teaching of the Buddha, for they only reflect one side of it and fail to take an inner and comprehensive view of the whole field.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1613
Such was the training the father of modern Japanese Zen had to go through. How terrible the old Shōju was when he pushed Hakuin down the stone-wall! But how motherly when the disciple after so much of ill-treatment finally came out triumphantly! There is nothing lukewarm in Zen. If it is lukewarm, it is not Zen.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1261
It all depends upon the adjustment of the hinge whether the door opens in or out. Even in the twinkling of an eye, the whole affair is changed, and you have Zen, and you are as perfect and normal as ever. More than that, you have in the meantime acquired something altogether new. All your mental activities are now working to a different key, which is more satisfying, more peaceful, and fuller of joy than anything you ever had. The tone of your life is altered.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1137
Baso abruptly taking hold of Hyakujo’s nose gave it a twist. Overcome with pain, Hyakujo cried aloud, “Oh! Oh!”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1260
“Drinking tea, eating rice, I pass my time as it comes; Looking down at the stream, looking up at the mountains, How serene and relaxed I feel indeed!”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1746
At the end of nine years, just letting my mind think of whatever it pleased and letting my tongue talk of whatever it pleased, I was not conscious whether I or anybody else was in the right or wrong, whether I or anybody else gained or lost; nor was I aware of the old master’s being my teacher or the young Pai-kao’s being my friend. Both inwardly and outwardly I was advanced.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 474
Such efforts on the part of Buddhist philosophers developed what is to be distinctly designated as Chinese Buddhism.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1417
What is the source, sir?” Hofuku was silent for a while, and then asked his attendant, “What did the monk ask me now?” When that monk repeated the question, the master ejected him out, exclaiming, “I am not deaf!”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1810
5.10. 擧僧問趙州. 學人乍入叢林. 乞師指示. 趙州云爾喫粥也未. 僧云喫粥了也. 州云洗鉢盂去. 其僧大悟. 後雲門拈云. 且道有指示. 無指示. 若道有指示. 向伊道什麽. 若道無指示. 其僧因什麽悟去. 文悅云. 雲門不識好惡. 恁麽説話. 大似爲蛇畵足. 與黃門栽鬚. 翠巖文悅则不然. 這僧與麽悟去. 入地獄箭射. (古尊宿語錄四十一.)
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 325
If the Mahayanists remained here and did not see further into the real nature of Prajñā, they would have certainly followed the fates of the Friends of Free Spirit, but they knew how Enlightenment realises its true signification in love for all beings and how freedom of spirit has its own principle to follow though nothing external is imposed upon it.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1171
All that therefore Zen contrives is to assert that there is such a thing as self-revelation, or the opening of satori.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 122
If I go on like this, there will be no end. So I stop, but expect some of you asking me the following questions: “Have these utterances anything to do with one’s seeing into the nature of one’s being? Is there any relationship possible between those apparently nonsensical talks about the staff and the all-important problem of the reality of life?”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 674
This Enlightened One, with Defilements destroyed, Undisturbed, and free from doubt, Has attained destruction of all karma, And is released in the destruction of the substratum.”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1351
Does it refer to Dharma’s nine years’ sitting against the wall as the tradition has it? If so, was his propaganda much ado for nothing except his feeling fatigued? When Kwazan (Hê-shan)[6.28] was asked what the Buddha was, he said, “I know how to play the drum, rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub!” (_chieh ta ku_).
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1800
4.30. 別記云. 師初居少林寺九年. 爲二組說法. 秪教曰. 外息諸緣. 内心无喘. 心如牆壁. 可以入道. 慧可種種說心性理. 道未契. 師秪遮其非. 不爲說無念心體. 慧可曰. 我已息諸緣. 師曰. 莫不成斷滅去否. 可曰. 不成斷滅. 師曰何以驗之云不斷滅. 可曰. 了了常知故. 言之不可及. 師曰. 此是諸佛所傳心體更勿疑也. (傳燈錄卷三.)
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1968
When Jōshu was asked by a monk whether there was Buddha-Nature in the dog, the master answered “Mu!” (_wu_ in Chinese), which literally means “no.” But as it is nowadays understood by the followers of Rinzai, it does not mean anything negative as the term may suggest to us ordinarily, it refers to something most assuredly positive, and the novice is told to find it out by himself, not depending upon others (_aparapaccaya_), as no explanation will be given nor is any possible.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 607
The Buddha’s constant reiteration of the theory of causation, telling his disciples how when this is cause that is effect and how when cause disappears, effect also disappears, is not primarily to get them acquainted with a kind of formal logic, but to let them see how Enlightenment is causally related to all human happiness and spiritual freedom and tranquillity.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 247
While the ideal of Arhatship was no doubt the entering into Nirvana that leaves nothing behind (_anupādhiśesha_), whatever this may mean, it did not ignore the significance of Enlightenment, no, it could not do so very well without endangering its own reason of existence. For Nirvana was nothing else in its essence than Enlightenment, the content was identical in either case.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 903
He evidently shunned being looked up to as a high priest of great wisdom and understanding. However, he did not neglect quietly preaching the Law whenever he had an occasion. He was simply quiet and unassuming, refusing to show himself off. But one day when he was discoursing about the Law before a temple gate, there was another sermon going on inside the temple by a resident priest, learned and honoured.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 280
When Śāriputra saw Aśvajit, he noticed how composed the latter was, with all his organs of sense well controlled and how clear and bright the colour of his skin was. Śāriputra could not help asking him who was his teacher and what doctrine he taught. To this Aśvajit replied: “The great Śākyamuni, the Blessed One, is my teacher and his doctrine in substance is this:
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1423
“How is it that my Self is your Self?” The ultimate dictum was, “That is your Self.” To understand this in a logical fashion, put “ignorant,” or “confused” or “human” in place of “my [pupil’s] Self,” and in place of “your [master’s] Self” put “enlightened,” or “Buddha’s,’ or “divine,” and we may have a glimpse into what was going on in the mind of Daizui. But without his last remark, “That is your Self,” the whole affair may resolve into a form of pantheistic philosophy.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1362
“Yesterday I came across one topic which I thought I might communicate to you, my pupils, to-day. But an old man such as I am is apt to forget, and the topic has gone off altogether from my mind. I cannot just recall it.” So saying, Goso remained quiet for some little time, but at last he exclaimed, “I forget, I forget, I cannot remember!” He resumed however, “I know there is a mantram in one of the Sutras known as _The King of Good Memory_.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 746
“Then, disciples, myself subject to birth, but perceiving the wretchedness of things subject to birth and seeking after the incomparable security of Nirvana which is birthless, to that incomparable security I attained, even to Nirvana which is birthless.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1208
I was no more deceived as to the wonderful working of Prajñā (transcendental wisdom).” When Kōho saw his old master later,[5.35] the latter lost no time in asking him, “Who is it that carries this lifeless corpse of yours?” Kōho burst out a “Kwats!” Thereupon the master took up a stick ready to give him a blow, but the disciple held it back saying, “You cannot give me a blow to-day.” “Why can’t I?” was the master’s demand. Instead of replying to him, however, Kōho left the room briskly.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 502
In other words, Zen was the only form in which the Chinese mind could accommodate, appreciate, and assimilate the Buddhist doctrine of Enlightenment.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 273
In judgment there are a subject and a predicate; in Enlightenment subject is predicate, and predicate is subject; they are here merged as one, but not as one of which something can be stated, but as one from which arises judgment. We cannot go beyond this absolute oneness; all the intellectual operations stop here; when they endeavour to go further, they draw a circle in which they for ever repeat themselves. This is the wall against which all philosophies have beaten in vain.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 174
How about progressive modern Buddhists then in regard to their attitude towards Buddhist faith constituting the essence of Buddhism? How is the Buddha conceived by his disciples? What is the nature and value of Buddhahood? When Buddhism is defined merely as the teaching of the Buddha, does it explain the life of Buddhism as it moves on through the course of history?
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1623
Nobody recognised him until one day an accident brought out his identity and the court insisted on his founding a monastery in the capital.[f150] Hakuin became the keeper of a deserted temple in Suruga which was his sole heritage in the world. We can picture to ourselves the scene of its dilapidations when we read this: “There were no roofs and the stars shone through at night. Nor was there any floor.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1296
I believe we can casually pick up any such statements in mystic literature, and compile a book of mystic irrationalities. Zen is no exception in this respect, but in its way of thus expressing the truth there is something we may designate characteristically Zen. It principally consists in the concreteness and vividness of expression. It generally refuses to lend an ear to abstractions. A few examples will be given. According to Fudaishi (Fu-ta-shih)[6.8];
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 803
When the Buddha belonging to the present age ordered Mahākāśyapa to be the orthodox transmitter of the Good Law, he uttered the following verse:
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1739
The one who has my eye-brows is the master of manners; the second who has my eyes, knows how to look around; the third who has my ears, understands how to listen to reasoning; the fourth who has my nose is well versed in the act of breathing; the fifth who has my tongue, is a great arguer; and finally the one who has my mind knows the past and the present.” This gradation was impossible if “seeing into one’s nature” alone was considered; for the seeing is one indivisible act, allowing no stages of transition.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1584
After eating, however, the novice goes out again on the porch and continues his petition for admittance. No attention will be paid to him until the evening when he asks for lodging. This being granted as before, he takes off his travelling sandals, washes his feet, and is ushered into a room reserved for such purposes. But most frequently he finds no bedding there, for a Zen monk is supposed to pass his night in deep meditation.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 2012
[f152] The full passage is: “He who seeks learnedness gets daily enriched. He who seeks the Tao is daily made poor. He is made poorer and poorer until he arrives at non-action (_wu wei_). With non-action, there is nothing that he cannot achieve.” (Chap. 48.)
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1802
4.38. 向居士. 影由形起. 響逐聲來. 弄影勞形. 不知形之是影. 揚聲止響. 不識聲是響根. 除煩惱而求涅槃者. 喻去形而覔影. 離衆生而求佛. 喻默聲而尋響. 故迷悟一途. 愚智非別. 無名作名. 因其名則是非生矣. 無理作理. 因其理則諍論起矣. 幻化非眞. 誰是誰非. 虛妄無實. 何空何有. 將知得無所得. 失無所失. 未及造談. 聊伸此意. 想爲答之.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 322
They were living in a realm beyond good and evil, and as long as they were there, no acts of theirs could be classified and judged according to the ordinary measure of ethics; they were neither moral nor immoral. These relative terms had no application in a kingdom governed by free spirits which soared above the relative world of differences and oppositions. This was most slippery ground for the Mahayanists.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1487
His friend was impatient, who broke out, “Hesitating and wavering, you have not yet penetrated through illusion, you have never yet even dreamt as to what the true insight of Zen is.” Kashin was thoroughly ashamed of himself. He at once returned to the master who severely reproached him, saying that he came before the termination of the summer session, which was against the regulations.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1037
Even of these fragments how much is to be regarded as genuine and authoritative is a question we cannot at present give any definite answer, as the book seems to have suffered the vicissitudes of fates, partly showing the fact that the Zen message of the sixth patriarch was extraordinary in many respects so as to arouse antagonism and misunderstanding among Buddhists.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1826
6.46. 師應機多用喝. 會下參徒亦學師喝. 師曰汝等總學我喝. 我今問汝. 有一人從東堂出. 一人從西堂出. 兩人齊喝一聲. 這裡分得賓主麽. 汝且作麽生分. 若分不得. 已後不得學老僧喝. (臨濟錄.)
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 457
When we come to Zen after seeing all the wonderful miracles displayed by the Indian Mahayana writers, and after the highly abstracted speculations of the Mādhyamika thinkers, what a change of scenery do we have here? No rays are issuing from the Buddha’s forehead, no retinues of Bodhisattvas reveal themselves before you, there is indeed nothing that would particularly strike your senses as odd or extraordinary, or as beyond intelligence, beyond the ken of logical reasoning.