Case #6 : Wash your own dishes
A Buddhist monk come to a Zen temple and asked a Zen master : “I just started to learn Zen, Please tell me what is Zen?”
Zen master answered with a question : “Have you eaten our breakfast yet?”[1]
Buddhist monk : “Yes, I have.”
Zen master : “Go, and wash your own dishes”[2]
The Buddhist monk suddenly realized what is Zen.
[1] Many people think that in order to learn Zen or the meanings of Buddhahood, is simply reading a lot of books or just by listening to teachings. However, that’s only the passive way of learning things, just like learning any other subjects, you need to actually participate and practicing them. And one way of doing that, is to do mundane jobs, and finding the things hidden beneath everything, to question everything, not taking them for granted. You may find wisdoms everywhere.
[2] But when you have learned a lot of things about Zen. It’s not that you should hold on to all those teachings. A big part of Zen teaching is about cleansing your mind with the illusions surround you. Just like washing all the none essential thoughts in your head. Although you may need to process many things every day, in the end of each day, it’s crucial for you to let go all those thought as washing your dishes, and washing your own dishes as you should.
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公案6 : 吃飯洗碗
僧問趙州從諗禪師：「學人乍入叢林[1]，乞師指示。」
師曰：「喫粥了也未？」
僧曰「喫粥了也。」
師曰：「洗鉢盂去。[2]」
其僧忽然省悟。
[1] 初學佛法，常因經典汗牛充棟感到宛如身在叢林(誤入叢林的小白兔?)。但往往佛法就隱藏在最平常的事物中。不過這裡的叢林，其實不指其表面的意思，前面提過的馬祖道一禪師，在當時禪宗初興，眾禪僧四處掛單，很難彼此交流，就以原本印度禪中在森林裡修行(釋迦摩尼都在樹下悟道)的意義，創立叢林制度，將禪門與律宗寺院區隔。因此有云：「馬祖建叢林，百丈立清規」。以後學人便用入叢林一詞意指學禪。
[2] 武 俠小說中常道，廟裡的和尚功力最強的，往往是門口的掃地僧。在禪修裡也有一動中修禪的方法－出坡。就是從日常勞動中去修禪。不過這處趙州禪師又明顯在借殼 指月，學禪往往像是將一大堆的佛理義理吞下肚，但禪宗講究性空，如果心裡積了一大堆未消化的字句意念，就該好好的清理清理才能好好的悟禪。這當然是只表面 的意思，不過每個人每天都該好好的把心中放不下，不想放下的塵俗雜事，像洗碗一樣給它洗個乾淨不是？
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