Essays in Zen Buddhism
D.T. Suzuki
2,061 passages indexed from Essays in Zen Buddhism (D.T. Suzuki) — Page 28 of 42
License: Public Domain
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 118
A monk approached Bokuju and said, “What is the statement surpassing [the wisdom of] all Buddhas and Patriarchs?” The master instantly held forth his staff before the congregation, and said, “I call this a staff, and what do you call it?” The monk who asked the question uttered not a word. The master holding it out again, said, “A statement surpassing [the wisdom of] all Buddhas and Patriarchs,—was that not your question, O monk?”[1.21]
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1430
We imagine logic influences life, but in reality man is not a rational creature so much as we make him out, of course he reasons, but he does not act according to the result of his reasoning pure and simple. There is something stronger than ratiocination. We may call it impulse, or instinct, or, more comprehensively, will. Where this will acts there is Zen, but if I am asked whether Zen is a philosophy of will I rather hesitate to give an affirmative answer.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1797
夫入道多途. 要而言之. 不出二種. 一是理入. 二是行入. 理入者. 謂藉教悟宗. 深信含生. 同一眞性. 但爲客塵妄想所覆. 不能顯了. 若也捨妄歸眞. 凝住壁觀. 無自無他. 凡聖等一. 堅住不移. 更不隨於文教. 此即與理冥符. 無有分別. 寂然無爲. 名之理入. 行入者. 謂四行. 其餘諸行. 悉入此中. 何等四邪. 一. 報冤行. 二. 隨緣行. 三. 無所求行. 四. 稱法之行. 云何報冤行. 謂修道行人. 若受苦時. 當自念言. 我從往昔. 無數劫中. 棄本從末. 流浪諸有. 多起冤憎. 違害無限. 今雖無犯. 是我宿殃. 惡業果熟. 非天非人. 所能見與. 甘心忍受. 都無冤訴. 經云. 逢苦不憂. 何以故. 識達故. 此心生時. 與理相應. 體冤進道. 故說言報冤行. 二. 隨緣行者. 衆生無我. 並緣業所轉. 苦樂齊受. 皆從緣生. 若得勝報榮譽等事. 是我過去宿因所感. 今方得之. 緣盡還無. 何喜之有. 得失從緣. 心無增减. 喜風不動. 冥順於道. 是故說言隨緣行也. 三. 無所求行者. 世人長迷. 處々貪著. 名之爲求. 智者悟眞. 理將俗反. 安心無爲.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 984
Unfortunately, this memorial inscription does not give any further information concerning Hui-nêng’s relation to Hung-jên, but even from the above narrative we can gather certain facts of importance which will shed light on the history of Zen.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1055
Since the beginning of Buddhism there have been two currents of thought concerning the meaning of meditation: the one was, like Arāda and Udraka who were the two teachers of the Buddha, to take it for suspending all psychic activities or for wiping consciousness clean of all its modes; and the other was to regard meditation simply as the most efficacious means for coming in touch with the ultimate reality.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1855
“It is conceived of by him by whom it is not conceived of; He by whom It is conceived of, knows It not. It is not understood by those who understand It; It is understood by those who understand It not.”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1884
[f39] The Pali text that will correspond to this Chinese Sutra in the Dīrgha-Āgama is the _Kevaddha Sutta_, but the passage quoted here is missing. See also the _Lohicca_ (_Lou-chê_) and _Sāmañña-phala_ in the Chinese Āgamas, in which the Buddha tells how essential the life of a recluse is to the realisation of enlightenment and the destruction of the evil passions. Constant application, earnest concentration, and vigilant watchfulness—without these no Buddhists are ever expected to attain the end of their lives.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 977
“The Bodhi is not like the tree, The mirror bright is nowhere shining; As there is nothing from the first, Where can the dust itself collect?”[4.51]
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 808
We have Zen only when the Mahayana Buddhist speculation is reduced to the actual things of life and becomes the direct expression of one’s inner life. And this did not come to pass until Buddhism was transplanted into China and made there to grow nourished by a people whose practical turn of mentality refused to swallow the Indian tradition undigested. The form of thought as adopted in the so-called patriarchal verses did not appeal to the Chinese mind.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1976
“Throughout heaven and earth there is not a piece of ground where a single stick could be inserted; I am glad that all things are void, myself and the world: Honoured be the sword, three feet long, wielded by the great Yüan swordsmen; For it is like cutting a spring breeze amidst the flashes of lightning.”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 747
“Myself subject to growth and decay, but perceiving the wretchedness of things subject to growth and decay and seeking after the incomparable security of Nirvana which is free from growth and decay, to that incomparable security I attained, even to Nirvana which is free from growth and decay.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1805
至道無難. 唯嫌揀擇. 但莫憎愛. 洞然明白. 毫釐有差. 天地懸隔. 欲得現前. 莫存順逆. 違順相爭. 是爲心病. 不識玄旨. 徒勞念靜. 圓同大虚. 無欠無餘. 良由取捨. 所以不如. 莫逐有縁. 勿住空忍. 一種平懷. 泯然自盡. 止動歸止. 止更彌動. 若滯兩邊. 寧知一種. 一種不通. 兩處失功. 遣有沒有. 從空背空. 多言多慮. 轉不相應. 絶言絶慮. 無處不通. 歸根得旨. 隨照失宗. 須臾返照. 勝卻前空. 前空轉變. 皆由妄見. 不用求眞. 惟須息見. 二見不住. 愼勿追尋. 纔有是非. 紛然失心. 二由一有. 一亦莫守. 一心不生. 萬法無咎. 無咎無法. 不生不心. 能隨境滅. 境逐能沉. 境由能境. 能由境能. 欲知兩段. 元是一空. 一空同兩. 齊含萬象. 不見精麤. 寧有偏黨. 執之失度. 必入邪路. 放之自然. 體無去住. 大道軆寬. 小見狐疑. 無易無難. 轉急轉遲. 任性合道. 逍遙絶惱. 繫念乖眞. 昏沈不好. 不好勞神. 何用踈親. 欲取一乘. 勿惡六塵. 六塵不惡. 還同正覺. 夢幻虚華. 何勞把捉. 智者無爲. 愚人自縛. 法無二法.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1174
I do not know if the intellect is superficial and touches only the fringe of one’s personality, but the fact is that the will is the man himself, and Zen appeals to it. When one becomes penetratingly conscious of the working of this agency, there is the opening of satori and the understanding of Zen.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 799
Their book known as the _Account of Succession in the Law_[4.7] disappeared after the repeated persecutions carried out by the reigning dynasties, but the stories of these patriarchs were quoted at least in the two books, the _Pao-lin Ch‘uan_[4.8] and the _Shêng-chou Chi_,[4.9] both compiled prior to the _Transmission of the Lamp_, in which they are referred to. But they too were lost some time after Kaisu (Ch‘i-sung) in the Sung dynasty.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1168
Kozankoku (Huang San-ku),[5.18] a Confucian poet and statesman, came to Kwaido (Hui-t‘ang, 1024–1100) to be initiated into Zen. Said the Zen master, “There is a passage in the text you are so thoroughly familiar with, which fitly describes the teaching of Zen. Did not Confucius declare, ‘Do you think I am holding back something from you, O my disciples?
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 743
There is no doubt, as far as we can judge from these qualifications, that Nirvana is a positive conception pointing to a certain determinable experience. When he came up to the bank of the Nairañjanā and took his seat of soft grass on a shady, peaceful spot, he made up his mind not to leave the place until he realised in himself what he had been after ever since his wandering away from home. According to the _Lalita-vistara_, he at that moment made this vow (_praṇidhāna_):
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 69
“Misty rain on Mount Lu, And waves surging in Chê-chiang; When you have not yet been there, Many a regret surely you have; But once there and homeward you wend, And how matter-of-fact things look! Misty rain on Mount Lu, And waves surging in Chê-chiang.”[9]
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 980
Then he gave him the robe as insignia of his authority and in acknowledgment of his unsurpassed spiritual attainment and with the assurance that the future of their faith would be brighter than ever.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1933
[f80] _Six Essays by Bodhi-Dharma_[4.25] is the book in which the so-called writings of Bodhi-Dharma are collected. See also the Essay “On Satori” which follows.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 459
When a monk asks who is the Buddha, the master points at his image in the Buddha Hall; no explanations are given, no arguments are suggested. When the mind is the subject of discourse, asks a monk, “What is mind, anyway?” “Mind,” says the master.[2.5] “I do not understand, Sir.” “Neither do I,” quickly comes from the master. On another occasion, a monk is worried over the question of immortality.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 172
But from the modern Christians’ point of view they will most definitely assure us that their religion is to be referred to “a unitary starting point and to an original basic character,” which is Jesus as Christ and that whatever manifold constructions and transformations that were experienced in the body of their religion did not interfere with their specific Christ-faith.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1009
“It is a mistake to think that sitting quietly in contemplation is essential to deliverance. The truth of Zen opens by itself from within and it has nothing to do with the practise of dhyana. For we read in the _Vajracchedikā_ that those who try to see the Tathagata in one of his special attitudes, as sitting or lying, do not understand his spirit, and that the Tathagata is designated as Tathagata because he comes from nowhere and departs nowhere, and for that reason he is the Tathagata.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 341
An appeal to the analytical understanding is never sufficient to thoroughly comprehend the inwardness of a truth, especially when it is a religious one, nor is mere compulsion by an external force adequate for bringing about a spiritual transformation in us. We must experience in our innermost consciousness all that is implied in a doctrine, when we are able not only to understand it but to put it in practice. There will then be no discrepancy between knowledge and life.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1657
“My dwelling is now here at Yogi; the walls and roof, how weather-beaten! The whole floor is covered white with snow crystal, Shivering down the neck, I am filled with thoughts.”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 855
When this thought arises, one is in concord with the principle because he makes the best use of hatred and turns it into the service in his advance towards the Path. This is called the ‘way to requite hatred.’
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 760
Some scholars may however object to this kind of treatment of the subject, on the ground that if Zen is at all a form of Buddhism or even the essence of it as is claimed by its followers, it cannot be separated from the general history of Buddhism in India.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 2032
Dharma, the, 58; and Buddhist life, 37; the comprehensive, 39; manifest in the Buddha, 40; defined, 50; the eye of, 53.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1356
To quote another case from Bokuju, he was once asked by a monk, “What is the doctrine that goes beyond the Buddhas and Fathers?” The master immediately holding up his staff said to the congregation, “I call this a staff, and what would you call it?” No answer was forthcoming, whereupon the master again holding forth the staff asked the monk, “Did you not ask me about the doctrine that goes beyond the Buddhas and Fathers?”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 2026
Bodhi-Dharma (Daruma, Tamo), 8, 24, 74, 82, 93, 94, 96, 156, 218; the gāthā by, 160; his life, 163ff.; Six Essays by, 165fn.; his life by Donrin, 167; and the emperor of Liang, 175; in Wei, 176; and his disciples, 177; and Nāgārjuna, 177fn.; his last days, 178; his coming from West, 266; and a nun, 284; and his four disciples, 351.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 695
And suppose this man to say to himself: Verily this is a great and wide water, and the hither side is full of fears and dangers, but the further side secure and free from fears; and there is neither boat nor bridge to take me from this to that further shore. How if I gather some reeds and twigs and leaves and bind them together into a raft; and then, supported on that raft, and labouring with hands and feet, cross in safety to that other shore!
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 909
The exponents of Zen then must have emphasised the truth to be awakened in one’s inner consciousness, even at the expense of the canonical teaching as is variously elucidated in the Sutras and Śastras, many of which in translations had already been in circulation. This must have excited the conservatists and literalists.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 894
Kuang at last cut off his left arm with the sword[f91] he was carrying, and presented it before the teacher as a token of his sincerity in the desire to be instructed in the doctrine of all the Buddhas. Said Dharma, “This is not to be sought through another.”
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 230
And, in my opinion, it is proper, considering the organic relation between system and experience and the fact that the spirit of the Buddha himself is present in all these constructions, it is proper that the term Buddhism should be used in a broad, comprehensive, and inward sense.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1117
The sixth patriarch, Hui-nêng (Yeno), insists on this in a most unmistakable way when he answers the question: “As to your commission from the fifth patriarch of Huang-mei, how do you direct and instruct others in it?” The answer was: “No direction, no instruction there is; we speak only of seeing into one’s Nature and not of practising dhyana and seeking deliverance thereby.” Elsewhere they are designated as the “confused” and “not worth consulting with,” they that are empty-minded and sit quietly having no thoughts whatever; whereas “even ignorant ones, if they all of a sudden realise the truth and open their mental eyes, are after all wise men and may attain even to Buddhahood.” Again when the patriarch was told of the method of instruction adopted by the masters of the Northern School of Zen, which consisted in stopping all mental activities, quietly absorbed in contemplation, and in sitting cross-legged for the longest while at a stretch, he declared such practises to be abnormal and not at all to the point, being far from the truth of Zen, and added this stanza which was quoted elsewhere:
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1936
[f84] Translated into Chinese during the Northern Liang dynasty which lasted A.D. 397–439. The translator’s name is lost.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 59
(Bun-yen was his name, while Ummon was the name of the monastery where he was settled later). When the truth-seeking monk was allowed to go inside the gate, the master took hold of him by the chest and demanded, “Speak! Speak!” Ummon hesitated, whereupon the master pushed him out of the gate, saying, “Oh, you good-for-nothing fellow!”[f6][1.7] While the gate was hastily shut, one of Ummon’s legs was caught and broken.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1390
Now I wish to know how it is that a man seeing Prajñā could be tied to it.” Said the master, “You tell me what it is that is seen by Prajñā.” Asked the monk, “When a man sees not Prajñā, how could he be tied to it?” “You tell me,” said the master, “if there is anything that is not seen by Prajñā.” The master then went on: “Prajñā seen is no Prajñā, nor is Prajñā unseen Prajñā: how could one apply the predicate, seen or unseen, to Prajñā?
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 606
But when we know what it means in the general system of Buddhism, and concentrate our efforts in the realisation of it, all the rest will take care of themselves, such as the notion of Ego, attachment to it, Ignorance, Fetters, Defilements, etc. Moral Conduct, Contemplation, and Higher Understanding—all these are meant to bring about the desired end of Buddhism, that is, Enlightenment.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1998
[f138] I must not forget to mention that after the reading of the _Hṛidaya Sūtra_ the following names of the Buddhas and others are invoked: 1. Vairocana-Buddha in his immaculate Body of the Law, 2. Vairocana-Buddha in his perfect Body of Bliss, 3. Śākyamuni-Buddha in his infinite manifestations as Body of Transformation, 4. Maitreya-Buddha who is to come in some future time, 5. All the Buddhas past, present, and future in the ten quarters of the world, 6. The great holy Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, 7. The great morally-perfect Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, 8. The great compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, 9. All the venerable Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and 10. Mahāprajñāpāramitā.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 202
And this is the way every great historical religion grows enriched in its contents or ideas. In some cases this enrichment may mean the overgrowth of superstructures ending in a complete burial of the original spirit. This is where critical judgment is needed, but otherwise we must not forget to recognise the living principle still in activity.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 675
Viewing things “yathābhūtam” is, so to speak, the intellectual or noetic aspect of Enlightenment though not in the sense of discursive understanding; there is another aspect of Enlightenment which will be the subject of consideration here. I mean its relation to samadhi or dhyana. This is preliminary, as I said before, to the realisation, but it also shows that the realisation thus attained is something more than merely seeing into truth.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 310
An ascetic discipline leading to the Anūpādhiśesha-Nirvāṇa had to give way to a system of teaching that would make any one attain Enlightenment and demonstrate Nirvana in his daily life. In all the Mahayana Sutras, this general tendency in the unfoldment of Buddhism is vehemently asserted, showing how intense was the struggle between conservatism and progressivism.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1900
[f50] It is highly doubtful that the Buddha had a very distinct and definite scheme for the theory of Causation or Dependence or Origination, as the Paṭicca-samuppāda is variously translated. In the present Sutra, he does not go beyond Viññāna (consciousness or cognition), while in its accepted form now the Chain starts with Ignorance (_avijjā_). We have however no reason to consider this tenfold Chain of Causation the earliest and most authoritative of the doctrine of Paṭicca-samuppāda.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 205
They had no power to check the constant and insistent cry of this desire brimming over in their inmost hearts. What constituted Buddhahood? What was the essence of Buddhahood? Questions like these assailed them one after another, and among those there were the following which stood out more prominently as they were more vitally interesting.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1979
[f125] Another time when Jōshu was asked about the “first word,” he coughed. The monk remarked, “Is this not it?” “Why, an old man is not even allowed to cough!”—this came quickly from the old master. Jōshu had still another occasion to express his view on the one word. A monk asked, “What is the one word?” Demanded the master, “What do you say?” “What is the one word?”—the question was repeated when Jōshu gave his verdict, “You make it two.” (Ch. N., [3].)
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 698
“And what then ought this man to do if he would act rightly as regards the raft? Thus, O monks, ought the man to consider: Truly this raft has been serviceable to me! Supported by this raft and exerting hands and feet, I am crossed in safety to this further shore. How now if I lay this raft up on the bank or leave it to sink in the water and so proceed upon my journey? So doing, O monks, the man would be acting rightly as regards his raft.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 770
But when we reflect, both philosophically and from the Zen point of view, on the life of the Buddha and on the ultimate principle of Buddhahood, we cannot help thinking of his Enlightenment as the most significant and most essential and most fruitful part of Buddhism. Therefore, what the Buddha really wished to impart to his disciples must be said to have been the Doctrine of Enlightenment in spite of the Hinayanistic interpretation or understanding of what is known as primitive Buddhism.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1368
So far all the interpretations making up the history of thought have proved unsatisfactory in one way or another. Chōsui also being a student of philosophy in a way has now come to his teacher to be enlightened on the subject.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1567
This unique system of education which is still going on at every Zendo is not so well known among the laity even in this country. And then the merciless tides of modern commercialism leave no corner uninvaded, and before long the solitary island of Zen may be found buried, as everything else, under the waves of sordid materialism. The monks themselves are beginning not to understand the great spirit of the successive masters.
Essays in Zen Buddhism, passage 1377
It must be approached therefore from another plane of unconsciousness. Unless we move on to the same plane where the masters stand, or unless we abandon so-called common-sense way of reasoning, there is no possible bridge which will carry us over the chasm dividing our intellection from their apparently psittacine repetitions.