Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student:“What is the most valuable thing in the world?”The master replied:“The head of a dead cat.”“Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing in the world?”,inquired the student.Sozan replied:“Because no one can name its price.”---Gasan instructed his adherents one day: “Those who speak against killing and who desire to spare the lives of all conscious beings are right. It is good to protect even animals and insects. But what about those persons who kill time, what about those who are destroying wealth, and those who destroy political economy? We should not overlook them. Furthermore, what of the one who preaches without enlightenment? He is killing Buddhism.”---Many pupils were studying meditation under the Zen master Sengai.One of them used to arise at night, climb over the temple wall, and go to town on a pleasure jaunt.Sengai, inspecting the dormitory quarters, found this pupil missing one night and also discovered the high stool he had used to scale the wall. Sengai removed the stool and stood there in its place.When the wanderer returned, not knowing that Sengai was the stool, he put his feet on the master’s head and jumped down into the grounds. Discovering what he had done, he was aghast.Sengai said: “It is very chilly in the early morning. Do be careful not to catch cold yourself.”The pupil never went out at night again.
>>16885044Bodhidharma, known as Daruma-San in Japanese, came from India to China after traveling for three years. The teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha were handed down from master to disciple just as water is transferred from one vessel to another without any leakage. The Dharma Lamp was passed from Shakyamuni to Mahakashapa, from Mahakashapa to Ananda, and eventually down to Bodhidharma, who was the twenty-eighth generation of this lineage.The intrepid spirit needed to set out for an unknown country at a time when transportation had not been developed and, moreover, to do it at an advanced age is something which an ordinary man who guards his body and life would not even think of. But this is the noble practice of Buddhas, who from their great compassionate hearts wish to faithfully transmit the Truth and save deluded sentient beings.Emperor Wu of Liang found out that Bodhidharma had arrived in Kwangchow on September 21, 520, and dispatched an emissary to invite him to what is now Nanking. The emperor inquired of Bodhidharma, “I have up until now built temples, had sutras copied, and supported monks and nuns. What merit is there in these things?”Bodhidharma curtly replied, “No merit!”This greatly disappointed Emperor Wu, who was expecting a favorable answer.The shallow thinking of ordinary people would have dictated flattering the Emperor, but for Bodhidharma, who had vowed to save deluded sentient beings, there was not the slightest intention of flattering or compromising with anyone.When Bodhidharma met Emperor Wu, who was called “The Son of Heaven of the Buddha Mind”, he realized that the emperor was nothing more than a Buddhist fanatic who was seeking temporal gain. So, Bodhidharma crossed the Yangtze River, entered the country of Wei, settled down at Shao Lin Temple, sat down facing a wall and practiced zazen for nine years. The people of the area referred to him as “The wall-gazing Brahmin”...
>>16885067On the ninth day of December a monk-in-training called Shen-kuang (Shinko, in Japanese) came looking for Bodhidharma. A deep snow had covered the mountains and Shen-kuang had to break a trail through the snow as he tried to follow the path, but finally he arrived at Bodhidharma’s wall. The winter night on the high mountain peak was so cold that even the joints of the bamboo cracked, and it seemed impossible to stand outdoors, but Bodhidharma did not even turn around to look. Shen-kuang stood stock-still throughout the night without sleeping, sitting, or resting. The falling snow drifted up to his waist; his tears froze into beads of ice; and his robes froze to his body so that he became like a block of ice. His whole body was rigid with cold, but the mind which seeks the Way was burning brightly.Finally, as the night was turning to dawn, Bodhidharma turned and asked, “You’ve been standing in the snow a long time. What is it you’re looking for?”“I have a request. Please have mercy on me and show me the true Buddhist teachings!”But Bodhidharma’s answer to Shen-kuang’s tearfully earnest entreaty was colder than ice. “One seeks the Buddha’s teaching at the risk of one’s life. It is a waste of time for an ignorant person of little virtue to carelessly and conceitedly seek the teachings of the Buddha.”Hearing this, Shen-kuang made his resolve even firmer. Taking a sharp sword he cut off his left arm at the elbow and presented the severed arm to Bodhidharma.Bodhidharma realized that this very Shen-kuang was a person worthy of succeeding to the teachings and allowed him to be a disciple.In this manner, Bodhidharma became the first patriarch of Chinese Zen, and Shen-kuang (later known as Huike, or Eka in Japanese) became the second.
Nobody cares about this indian bs and it’s called chán in China
>>16885075A Zen student came to Bankei and said: "Master, I have an ungovernable temper -- how can I cure it?" "Show me this temper," said Bankei, "it sounds fascinating.""I haven't got it right now," said the student, "so I can't show it to you.""Well then" said Bankei, "bring it to me when you have it.""But I can't bring it just when I happen to have it," protested the student. "It arises unexpectedly, and I would surely lose it before I got it to you.""In that case," said Bankei, "it cannot be part of your true nature. If it were, you could show it to me at any time. When you were born you did not have it, and your parents did not give it to you -- so it must come into you from the outside. I suggest that whenever it gets into you, you beat yourself with a stick until the temper can't stand it, and runs away."
>>16885075We are not in China.
>>16885086Once the monks of the eastern and western Zen halls were quarrelling about a cat. Nansen held up the cat and said, "You monks! If one of you can say a word, I will spare the cat. If you can't say anything, I will put it to the sword." No one could answer, so Nansen finally slew it. In the evening, when Joshu returned, Nansen told him what had happened. Joshu, thereupon, took off his sandals, put them on his head and walked off. Nansen said, "If you had been there, I could have spared the cat."What is the meaning of Joshu's putting his sandals on his head? If you can give a turning word concerning this matter, you will be able to see that Nansen's command was not meaningless. But if you can't, look out!Had Joshu been there,He would have given the command instead.Had he snatched away the sword,Even Nansen would have begged for his life.
