The Wisdom of the Zen MastersIrmgard Schloegl "If in every mind burns a flame of the Buddha's Enlightenment," Christmas Humphreys writes in his foreword to The Wisdom of the Zen Masters, "there is nothing to seek and nothing to acquire. We are enlightened, and all the words in the world will not give us what we already have. The man of Zen, therefore, is concerned with one thing only, to become aware of what he already is..." The task of the Japanese Zen master has been to guide his pupils in their awakening. The means used vary--from severe physical discipline to the proposition of enigmatic riddles, or koans--but always to the same end, Enlightenment: experiencing the Great Death of the worldly "I." |
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Arthur Rimbaud asked the Master austerities became become Bernadette Mayer Bodhi Tree Bodhidharma bowing Buddha Nature Buddhism Chinese CHRISTMAS HUMPHREYS clear Collected Poems Confucian death Dharma disciple elder emperor empty everything eyes fear head Heart is Buddha Heinrich von Kleist Hui Neng human insight Japan Kankei Kyogen living dragon look Massan Master Baso Master Daibai Master Eno master gardener Master Gensha Master Hakuin Master Hogen Master Hyakujo Master Ikkyu Master Nansen Master Rinzai MASTER SESSAN MASTER SOKEI-AN Master Taian Master Tanka Master Tokusan Master Ummon mind monastery MONK asked Master monk awakened Mori clan mountain Muriel Spark Myoshin-ji never no-thing Noble Eightfold Path ocean one's Patriarch picture maker pondering river robe samurai scriptures seek Selected Poems sermons suffering Tanyu teacher teaching tell temple things understanding walked wave Wisdom words Zen Masters Zen saying Zen school Zen training