Wednesday, January 9, 2008

9th January

A Buddhist philosopher named Tao-kwang asked a Zen master, " When attempting to educate oneself in the nature of Truth, what frame of mind should be adopted?"
The master replied, " There is no mind to be framed, nor is there any Truth to be educated in." The philosopher responded, "If what you say is true, why do monks gather around you to be educated in Truth?" The master answered, "I have no space - how could monks gather around me?
I have no tongue- so how could I teach others?"
The philosopher explained, "That is a shameless lie!"
"I have already told you I have no tongue?"
responded the master, "so it is impossible for me to lie."
Despairingly the philosopher said, "I simply do not understand your logic."
"I don't understand myself," concluded the master.

The Zen masters accepted that there was one, boundless, infinite reality which embraced everything. To say "I am this" or "I am that" is to come out of this recognition, to become separate from the infinite source of all that is. They saw that any idea of self or presentation of self to the world was a separation and a denial of being part of the infinite oneness.

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