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It is related that while Gaoan was leader of the community at Yunju, whenever he saw students who failed to comprehend his devices in private teaching, he would take them aside and upbraid them in a most serious manner, saying, “Your parents nourished your body, your teachers and companions formed your mind. You are not oppressed by hunger or cold, you do not have to toil on military campaigns. Under these conditions, if you do not make a dedicated effort to accomplish the practice of the Way, how can you face your parents, teachers, and companions?”
There were students who wept on hearing the words of the enlightened teacher. This is how correct and strict his order was.
- Anecdotes of Qiean
[Selection quoted verbatim from Zen Lessons: The Art of Leadership, by Thomas Cleary]
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It is a testament to the greatness of the ancient Chinese culture that it could produce such diverse yet equally compelling philosophies as Zen Buddhism and the Tzun Tzu. Having read three different translations of the Tzun Tzu, I think now that I am older it is time to better appreciate and embrace the Zen side of life.
ReplyDelete- UJ
Agree wholeheartedly. I have about a half-dozen Zen paperbacks that I am constantly boxing up for storage only to un-box later for re-reading. However, the essence of Zen has forever been slightly beyond me (probably due to a lack of dedication on my part, as Gaoan is fighting against here), and I inevitably wind up turning back to the mercy of Christ. Though there are times when I wish Christianity was more Zen. Now, there's a subject for a blog post ...
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