
| born: c. 830 died: 902 place: China |
| Chan master: Dongshan Liangjie (J., Tozan Ryokai) Chan disciples: Tong'an (J. Do'an),... |
| stories: Osho This, This, A Thousand Times This: The Very Essence of Zen, ch. 14 Zen: The Diamond Thunderbolt, ch. 6 |
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
| Zen Masters |
| One day, Ungo Doyo went up into the hall and quoted Tozan's old saying, "Hell is not really painful. Wearing this robe, to fail to understand the great matter – that loss is most painful." Addressing his monks, Doyo said, "You are already within this tradition. A hundred percent is not far from ninety percent. You should exert a little more energy. Then you elders will not tire of your perpetual journey and yet will not turn away from the monastery." He continued: "An ancient has said, `If you wish to be able to bear this matter, you must go and stand atop the highest mountain, and walk on the bottom of the deepest sea. Only then have you some power.'" Doyo said, "If you have not yet taken care of the great matter, for now you must tread the hidden road." A monk then asked, "What is esteemed by an ascetic?" Doyo said, "Where mind's consciousness does not reach." Another monk asked, "What are the grades of buddhas and patriarchs?" Doyo said, "Both are grades." A third monk asked, "What is the meaning of the coming of Bodhidharma from the West?" Doyo said, "Meeting no one on the ancient road." Now you have to understand the symbols and the metaphors of Zen. Hell is not really painful because there is no hell other than being outside yourself, and there is no heaven other than being within yourself. Hell and heaven are both just metaphors; they do not denote any reality. All the religions have made much fuss about them. Their whole exploitation of man depends on two things: fear of hell and greed for heaven. It is such a contradiction that all these religions go on teaching against fear, against greed, but underneath, their whole teaching is based on the fear of hell. If you are not virtuous, if you are not a believer, you will fall into eternal hell; you will be tortured for eternity. If you are a believer, a faithful, virtuous, respectable person, then the doors of heaven are open for you. It is a contradiction because hell is only a metaphor for fear, and heaven is another metaphor for greed, for lust. Zen does not consider them to be of any significance at all... --Osho Zen: The Diamond Thunderbolt, ch. 6 |