A renowned Zen master said that his greatest teaching was this: Buddha is your own mind. So impressed by how profound this idea was, one monk decided to leave the monastery and retreat to the wilderness to meditate on this insight. There he spent 20 years as a hermit probing the great teaching. One day he met another monk who was traveling through the forest. Quickly the hermit monk learned that the traveler also had studied under the same Zen master. "Please, tell me what you know of the master's greatest teaching." The traveler's eyes lit up, "Ah, the master has been very clear about this. He says that his greatest teaching is this: Buddha is NOT your own mind."
2006-12-03 12:12:07 · 4 answers · asked by The Zen Hippo 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Five tons of flax.
2006-12-03 12:16:51 · answer #1 · answered by angk 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We can learn that koan study is not something that is meant for group conceptual discussion but, instead, needs to be the focus of the individual who has been assigned it from a qualified Zen master who has resolved the koan (and who will not resolve the koan for the student).
2006-12-03 20:31:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That a man can't teach you Buddha nature. This can only come from releasing your fears and preconceptions through introspection.
2006-12-03 20:18:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ive heard one similar to this one
2006-12-03 20:16:37 · answer #4 · answered by badferret 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋