The monk asked: “What is understanding?”
Chongshou said: “Understanding is not understanding.”
-Zen’s Chinese Heritage
Practice Meetings
Tuesday Mar 12, 8:30am
Friday Mar 15, 7:00pm
This Week’s Reading
Thich Nhat Hanh, Old Path White Clouds, Chapter 34, “Reunion”.
This Week’s Koan
Gateless Gate #41: “Bodhidharma’s Mind-Pacifying”
Bodhidharma sat facing the wall.
The Second Patriarch stood in the snow.
He cut off his arm and presented it to Bodhidharma, crying, “My mind has no peace as yet! I beg you, master, please pacify my mind!”
“Bring your mind here and I will pacify it for you,” replied Bodhidharma.
“I have searched for my mind, and I cannot take hold of it,” said the Second Patriarch.
“Now your mind is pacified,” said Bodhidharma.
Mumon’s Comment
The broken-toothed old Hindu came so importantly, thousands of miles over the sea. This was raising waves where there was no wind. In his last years he induced enlightenment in his disciple, who, to make matters worse, was defective in the six roots. Why, Shasanro did not know for ideographs.Mumon’s Verse
Coming east, directly pointing, You entrusted the Dharma, and trouble arose; The clamor of the monasteries Is all because of you.