Dadian Baoyong
Jap., Daiten Hoyo
Mt. Dadian Treasure Surging
| born: c. 730 died: c. 800 place: China |
| Chan master: Shitou (J. Sekito) Chan disciples: 4 known as Zen masters |
| stories: Osho: Zen: The Quantum Leap from Mind to No-mind, ch. 13 I Celebrate Myself: God is No Where, Life is Now Here, ch. 2, ch. 3 The Zen Manifesto: Freedom from Oneself, ch. 8 |
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
| Zen Masters |
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| Kantaishi – a Confucian scholar – asked Daiten, who had a monastery in the place of exile, "How old are you?" Daiten held out his rosary and said, "Do you understand?" Kantaishi said, "No, I cannot understand." Daiten replied, "In the daytime there are one hundred and eight beads and at night there are also one hundred and eight." Kantaishi was very much displeased because he could not understand this old monk, and he returned home. At home his wife asked, "What makes you so displeased?" The scholar then told his wife all that had happened. "Why not go back to the monastery and ask the old monk what he meant?" his wife suggested. Next day, early in the morning, Kantaishi went to the monastery, where he met the chief monk at the gate. "Why are you so early?" the chief monk asked. "I wish to see your master and question him," Kantaishi answered. "What is your business with him?" the chief monk asked. So the Confucian repeated his story. "Why don't you ask me?" the chief monk inquired. Kantaishi then asked, "What does `one hundred and eight beads in the daytime and one hundred and eight beads at night' mean?" The chief monk clicked his teeth three times. At last Kantaishi met Daiten and once more asked his question, whereupon the master clicked his teeth three times. "I know," said the Confucian, "all Buddhism is alike. A few moments ago I met the chief monk at the gate and asked him the same question and he answered me in the same way." Daiten called the chief monk and said, "I understand you showed him Buddhism a few minutes ago. Is it true?" "Yes," answered the chief monk. Daiten struck the chief monk and immediately expelled him from the monastery. There are things which mind is naturally incapable of understanding. The mind has limitations, but our ego does not want to accept the limitations of the mind. Every sense has its own limitation. You cannot see with your ears and you cannot hear with your eyes. In the same way, you can see objects with the mind but you cannot see the beyond, the formless with the mind. To the mind it will look absurd – just as to the blind man light is absurd and to the deaf, no music exists in the world. Those who have become too much identified with the mind and unfortunately all the civilizations and cultures that have existed in the world have enforced and reinforced the mind.... Zen is alone and unique. It points beyond the mind. So remember not to try to understand rationally, intelligently. Only in deep meditation and silence will you be able to feel the significance of these small anecdotes. They have something hidden in them, but it is not possible for the mind to figure it out. Put the mind aside, and suddenly you can see the truth which mind was blocking. As far as Zen is concerned, mind is a block to reality. Except mind, nobody is hindering you declaring your buddhahood this very moment... --Osho Zen: The Quantum Leap From Mind to No-mind, ch. 13 |