A monk asked Nansen: "How can I see into my true nature?"
Nansen replied: "That which sees into is your true nature."One Zen master, when asked, 'What is Zen?'
would only lift his finger, as if listening to something.
The student asked the master,
"What is the deepest meaning of Buddhism?"
The master bowed deeply to his pupil.
"Master, how will I know if I am making any progress?"
"You know it when, what once made you mad, now makes you laugh."
I had a discussion with a great master in Japan,
and we were talking about the various people
who are working to translate the zen books into English,
and he said, "That's a waste of time.
If you really understand Zen, you can use any book.
You could use the Bible.
You could use Alice in Wonderland.
You could use the dictionary,
because the sound of the rain needs no translation."
-Alan Watts
Student:
"I am very discouraged.
What should I do?"
Soen Nakagwa:
"Encourage others."
"I am very discouraged.
What should I do?"
Soen Nakagwa:
"Encourage others."
A Zen master, when asked
where he would go after he died, replied,
"To hell, for that's where help is needed most."
A monk asked, "How does an enlightened man return to the ordinary world?"
Kegon replied, "A broken mirror never reflects again;
fallen flowers even go back to the old branches."
******
Thank you Master for teaching me nothing.
