Zen X-files : Case #14 – Zen Resides in Silence (禪門國際公案14 – 有性無言)

Case #14 : Zen Resides in Silence

A monk asked : “Master teacher, Can you please tell me how to answer a question when everything is just nothing.” [1]

Zen master answered : “One can ask and one can answer, Zen says none.” [2]

[1] The original text is “How to use no words and no images to answer a question?”. But here I borrow the previous file about everything is nothing as a reference, so it’s easier to understand the true meaning of this question.

[2] We often think that there must be an answer to a question. And people think the teachings of Zen are complex and difficult. But actually, Zen resides in silence. 

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公案14 : 有性無言

僧問：「請和尚離聲色外答！」[1]

中度禪師曰：「木人常對語，有性不能言。」[2]

[1] 聲色，是代指佛經中所謂六根六塵的眼耳鼻舌身意，色聲香味觸法，也就是世間一切因緣事物。問如何離聲色外，就是在考問禪師如果聲色都是虛妄，那要怎麼用言語聲音文字影像來求得禪的真意呢？

[2] 木人指的是就是一般人，未開悟的人。有性指的是已悟道者。所以常言和尚不打誑語，就是指我們每天說三道四，其實都只是空口妄語，人云亦云，真正要悟道絕不能光打嘴皮。禪門悟道，無聲更勝有聲。

註：和尚的梵文是upâdhyâya，原本只指親傳教導出家眾的導師，和尚這個詞則是輾轉音譯後的簡稱。再後來原本尊稱得道高僧的和尚一詞，慢慢的平民化又被用來泛稱出家眾。

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Zen X-files : Case #13 –Everything is Nothing (禪門國際公案13 – 一物亦無)

Case #13 : Everything is Nothing

A monk asked a Zen master : “There is an old saying : “Everything has its answer and everything has no answer, but Buddha said either one of them are true”. Master, please tell me what’s the truth?”

The Master replied : “Everything is just nothing. Is there A QUESTION?” [1]

[1] This teaching is the Zen version of the previous file – No Questions and No Answers. When you still have the question about what’s the alternate answer, then you’ve not understood that everything is all but an illusion of nothing, there is no question at all. So is there a question, or isn’t that the question itself being just another illusion?

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公案13 : 一物亦無

大顛問石頭希運禪師曰：「古人云：道有、道無是二謗[1]，請師除。」

石頭禪師曰：「一物亦無，除個什麼？」[2]

[1] 前一篇無問無答就是在說，有問題才有答案，沒有問題何需作答，所以道有論跟道無論，兩者都不是佛要教導眾生的。禪－講求空即是有，有即是空。說來矛盾其實卻並不矛盾也。

[2] 常云：天下本無事，庸人自擾之。無我亦無心，無心亦無佛。一物亦無何來困擾之？

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Zen X-files : Case #12 – Questions and Answers(禪門國際公案12 –無問無答)

Case #12 : Questions and Answers

King Menander I [1] asked Master Nagasena [2] : “I want to ask a question.”

Master Nagasena replied : “What’s the question, Your majesty.”

The King said : “I have already asked.”

Master Nagasena : “I have already answerd.”

The King : “What is THE answer?”

Master Nagasena : “What is THE question?”

The King : “I have no question.”

Master Nagasena : “There is no answer.”[3]

[1] King Menander I was a king of one of the Indo-Greek Kingdoms from 2nd century BCE in today northern India. They are descendent from the most eastern part of Alexander’s Empire in 4th century BCE.

[2] Master Nagasena is a Buddhist sage and a Brahmin. And his answers to the questions from King Menander I (also known as Milinda) are recorded in the book – Milinda Panha. It was translated and brought to China in 4th century CE.

[3] As you may have already familiar with the techniques used by Zen teachings. This is one of the examples of how Ancient Greek philosophy affected Buddhism teachings. And the teachings of Buddhism extract this philosophical thinking and later become one the foundations of Mahayana Buddhism. It was strengthen even further when combining with Taoism in China, and becoming Zen Buddhism. Thus the teaching of Zen becomes cryptic, but also means more than just superficial words. It focuses one’s mind, and digs deeper into the core of every thought, then comes a conclusion than even mind itself is an illusion.

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公案12 : 無問無答

王[1]言:『我欲有所問。』

那先[2]言:『王便問。』

王言:『我已問。』

那先言:『我已答。』

王言:『答我何等語？』

那先言:『王亦問我何等語？』

王言:『我無所問。』

那先言:『無所答。』[3]

[1] 本篇選自【大藏經】中的【那先比丘經】，其內容為紀元前二世紀北印度大夏國王彌蘭陀（Menander I Soter），論難佛教僧侶那先之對話。其內容主要為當時主流之小乘。但其內容也有原始的禪學意涵在內。

[2] 比丘那先（Nagasena）為婆羅門種性。西元前四世紀希臘馬其頓國王－亞歷山大大帝（Alexander the Great）遠征印度伊朗地區，擊敗當地（Bactria）的原始王國建立行省。但他死後帝國分解，大夏國（Bactriana）就是帝國分解後的塞琉古帝國（Seleucid Empire）獨立出的希臘化王國。其在紀元前二世紀開始入侵北印度地區，並產生諸多希臘化印度小國。國王彌蘭陀就是其中一個最強大的印度希臘王國的國王，晚年皈依佛教。這些希臘化印度王國的文化，以其希臘哲學辯證，與理性思維影響了當時小乘佛教教義，並逐漸演進出大乘佛教教義，對佛教的散播和佛教藝術都產生重大影響。接續其的貴霜帝國（Kushan Empire）與中國有密切的商業往來，並是當時的佛教中心，也因此將佛教東傳入中國。

[3] 這似名相邏輯的對話，可說融合了希臘哲學思想與原始佛教教義。最初的禪意就奠基於此。嚴謹的哲學思辯挑戰了佛教的唯心論，佛學中的空無思想也深受這理性主義影響。傳至中土後，又結合了中國道家無為哲學，進而成為禪宗濫觴。

Zen X-files : Case #11 – Understand not Understand (禪門國際公案11 –心無住處)

Case #11 : Understand not Understand

A Zen master asked a group of people attending teachings : “Do you believe in absolutely right or wrong?”

Everyone said : “No.”

Zen master asked again : “Do you believe that everything has a beginning and an end?”

Everyone : “No.”

Zen master : “Do you think everything is what is looks like as it is?”

Everyone : “No.”

Zen master : “Do you think your thoughts are always the same?”

Everyone : “One’s thoughts are always changing.”

Zen master agreed and said : “If one’s thoughts are always changing, do you understand that thoughts are just illusions?”

Everyone : “Yes.”

Zen master : “Really understand?”

Everyone : “Yes.”

Zen master : “Then understand there is no understand. Understand?”[1]

[1] Many Zen teachings consist of conflicting answers and questions. Things are nothings. Nothing is no nothing. This doesn’t mean those words are empty, but they are means to make you thinking. Keep questioning, and keep an open mind. Understand you understand nothing, and the thought of understanding doesn’t really exist, but only in the mind of one’s head. But you DO understand what “understand” really is, right? Understand?

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公案11 : 心無住處

荷澤神會禪師[1]問眾人：「心有是非不？」

眾人答：「無」。

師再問：「心有來去處不？」

眾人答：「無。」

師曰：「心有青黃赤白不？」

眾答：「無。」

師曰：「心有住處不？」

眾答：「心無住處。」

和上言：「心既無住，知心無住不？」

眾答：「知。」

師曰：「知不知？」

眾答：「知。」

師曰：「今推到無住處立知，作沒？」[2]

[1] 荷澤神會禪師是六祖慧能高徒，也是實質發揚南禪頓宗的禪師。神會之後禪宗才慢慢轉變成以頓悟為主流。

[2] 這裡眾人都是以表象為題在作答，聽聞夠多的佛理，人人都能有一套看似無礙的哲學。但神會禪師要告訴眾人的是，當你在思考你了解的那剎那，心還是有住而非無住處。當超脫心常住這個殼後，才會頓悟何謂立於無住處。恒保無知。

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Zen X-files : Case #10 – Mind Moving (禪門國際公案10 –風動心動? )

Case #10 : Mind Moving

One day Grand master Huineng resided in a room next to a hallway. During the night, the wind was heavy and flags were violently moving.

At the same time, Grand master heard two monks were arguing. One said it’s the flag moving, and another said it’s the wind moving. They both insisted they had the right answers and could not agree with each other.

So Grand master said to them : “Friends, May I suggested to both of you my opinion? Neither the wind nor the flag is moving, but the mind (of the one who is watching) is moving. [1]

[1] It’s a widely known classic Zen story, and almost becoming part of the Chinese culture heritage. Many believe that this is one of the main teachings of Zen - one should not be moved by others, and always look inside one’s mind. Problems may cause by many reasons, but it’s your choice to be bothered by them or not. If one can always stay in the state of Zen, nothing can move one’s mind.

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公案10 : 風動心動?

六祖慧能大鑒禪師寓止廊廡間，暮夜，風颺剎幡。

聞二僧對論，一曰幡動，一曰風動。往復酬答，曾未契理。

祖曰：「可容俗流輒預高論否？直以風幡非動，動自心耳。」[1]

[1] 六祖慧能有名公案，不是風動也非幡動，而是觀者之心在動。很多時候，如果感覺生活周遭總是鳩葛紛擾，好似沒有間斷，就要停下來抿心自問是否是自己心動而生是非？

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Zen X-files : Case #9 – Little Baby Crying (禪門國際公案9 –止小兒啼)

Case #9 : Little Baby Crying

A Buddhist monk asked a Zen master : “Why did you say Buddha is in the mind?”

The Zen master answered : “To stop little babies from crying.”[1]

Buddhist monk : “What if they already stopped crying?”

Zen master : “Tell them there are no mind and no Buddha.”[2]

Buddhist monk : “What if people come to me and said they don’t believe in both?”

Zen master : “Say something that is nothing.”[3]

Buddhist monk : “What if people say that they believe in what I said?”

Zen master : “Teach them the way of practicing Buddhahood.”[4]

[1] Another Zen sentence that means something else. You may say that your heart is like a little baby constantly crying for different desires. But Buddha is in one’s mind. It’s best for beginners to know how important to calm their mind and find the peace.

[2] If people have already calmed their minds, then they should know that everything is not what it looks like. Just as many previous cases said to look beyond the superficial meanings. Not to be obsessed with the words. Buddha or no Buddha.

[3] Sometimes people are cynical and do not believe in anything, whether it’s true or not true, they always think nothing is right. Then a Zen master may pull the trick of telling something which means absolutely nothing. And by doing so, people who are clever enough will understand the absurdity of those actions and everything.

[4] Zen is not just talking. You need to understand the teachings as well as to practice them, either through meditation, or exercises, or writings, etc. If you say that you don’t know where to start. Please just use your mouth and ask, as the Buddhist monk in this case.

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公案9 : 止小兒啼

僧問江西馬祖道一禪師：「和尚為甚麼說即心即佛？」

師曰：「為止小兒啼。」[1]

僧曰：「啼止時如何？」

師曰：「非心非佛。」[2]

僧曰：「除此二種人來，如何指示？」

師曰：「向伊道不是物。」[3]

僧曰：「忽遇其中人來時如何？」

師曰：「且教伊體會大道。」[4]

[1] 常有心不定之時，就如同小兒啼哭，禪師就會跟你說心即是佛。定下心來就會見佛性。這是對世俗紛擾的一帖，意如見山是山。

[2] 入門後心雖定，卻也常迷罔佛在哪裡。這時就要體總總假象，就連心跟佛的也只是符號表相。意如見山不是山。

[3] 多方辯證理解後，常會生妄心，以為世間總總皆是假，佛理人心也無著，這時以禪意借殼指月來解脫，不吝見山又是山，也不是山。不可說也。

[4] 光理性的理解了悟之外，力行實踐下功夫不墜才是大道。

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Zen X-files : Case #8 – Riding a Cattle Finding a Cattle (禪門國際公案8 –騎牛覓牛)

Case #8 : Riding a Cattle Finding a Cattle

One day a Zen master visited another Zen master and asked : “If someone wants to know what is Buddhahood, What will you suggest?”

The second Zen master said : “Just like riding a cattle to find a cattle.”[1]

The first Zen master asked : “What if someone has already found it?”

Second Zen master : “Then someone should ride the cattle back home.” [2]

First Zen master : “After that, how to keep it constantly?”

Second Zen master : “Just like a cowboy using a whip to keep his flocks, and preventing them from tramping others’ crops.” [3]

The first Zen master thanked the second Zen master. He now had a better understanding of what is Zen.

[1] We have known from several previous cases that everyone has the potential to become Buddha. If you think the way of Zen is out of your reach, you should look closer into yourself.

[2] People always trying to hope someone can teach them what the ultimate answer is. But when you have read and learned a lot of the teachings, then you just need to find the answers yourself. Look inside your minds and your thoughts, you will find the answers already there. When you find some answers you should ask others what they think. Even a Zen master, as in this case, needs to ask others.

[3] Many people believe that when you find the answer, or become enlighten, and the quest is over. But it’s not true. Most of the time, you will find that you waver and fill your head with more and more questions or random thoughts. It’s a constant process to clear your mind, and keep the state of enlightenment always. It not an easy task, you need to put a lot of efforts on it. When you can easily keep this in mind, then you truly understand.

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公案8 : 騎牛覓牛

長慶大安禪師造百丈懷海禪師，禮而問曰：「學人欲求識佛，何者即是？」

丈曰：「大似騎牛覓牛。」[1]

師曰：「識得後如何？」

丈曰：「如人騎牛至家。」[2]

師曰：「未審始終如何保任？」

丈曰：「如牧牛人執杖視之，不令犯人苗稼。」[3]

師自茲領旨，更不馳求。

[1] 前面已經有不少公案說到，每個人心中都有佛性，不假外求。如果你常常鑽牛角尖，不妨觀照看看自己是否騎牛覓牛。

[2] 如果你已經跳出執著，不妨定下心來，不要再心猿意馬。佛不在天邊而是你自己不想回家罷！

[3] 有許多人誤以為到了悟禪的那刻功課就已完畢，但其實只是踏出初步而已。真正的功課在於能不能時常保持悟道的心境。這也就是為何學佛的人都常有，學佛一年佛在眼前，學佛十年佛在天邊的感慨。不精進只會讓自己常染雜念，功夫要時時刻刻都下的。

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