A Koan
In the order of the eternal Buddhist Patriarch, there were four dragons or elephants, whose secular names were Ian David Liszt, Matthew Erial, Steve Portsman, and Sam Mallgap.
Through many springs and autumns the Patriarch had expressed to them the essence of his teaching in just three sentences:
Physically sit in the full lotus posture.
Mentally sit in the full lotus posture.
Dropping off body and mind, sit in the full lotus posture.
After years and years of teaching like this, the Patriarch sensed his death was approaching. He asked the four each to express their conclusion. He said: “My teaching is just to drop off body and mind. Express your own understanding of it.”
Ian said: “I used to see it as perfectly polite and obedient service to others, forgetting myself completely. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. I. D. Liszt; you have got my skin.”
Matt said: “I used to see it as a state of balance of the autonomic nervous system. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. Matt Erial; you have got my flesh.”
Steve said: “I used to see as an action doing itself, spontaneously; for example, effortless upright sitting in the full lotus posture. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. S. Portsman; you have got my bones.”
Then Sam Mallgap walked before the Patriarch, carefully laid out his zagu, prostrated himself three times, returned to his zafu, arranged his 9-stripe kesa, and just sat silently, without saying a word, quietly anticipating the Patriarch’s affirmation.
Then the Patriarch said, “No, Mr. S. Mallgap; it is not that. It is never that.”
Through many springs and autumns the Patriarch had expressed to them the essence of his teaching in just three sentences:
Physically sit in the full lotus posture.
Mentally sit in the full lotus posture.
Dropping off body and mind, sit in the full lotus posture.
After years and years of teaching like this, the Patriarch sensed his death was approaching. He asked the four each to express their conclusion. He said: “My teaching is just to drop off body and mind. Express your own understanding of it.”
Ian said: “I used to see it as perfectly polite and obedient service to others, forgetting myself completely. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. I. D. Liszt; you have got my skin.”
Matt said: “I used to see it as a state of balance of the autonomic nervous system. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. Matt Erial; you have got my flesh.”
Steve said: “I used to see as an action doing itself, spontaneously; for example, effortless upright sitting in the full lotus posture. But you taught me that it is not that.”
The Patriarch said, “Mr. S. Portsman; you have got my bones.”
Then Sam Mallgap walked before the Patriarch, carefully laid out his zagu, prostrated himself three times, returned to his zafu, arranged his 9-stripe kesa, and just sat silently, without saying a word, quietly anticipating the Patriarch’s affirmation.
Then the Patriarch said, “No, Mr. S. Mallgap; it is not that. It is never that.”
posted by Mike Cross at 8:38 AM
2 Comments:
Then the Patriarch said, “No, Mr. S. Mallgap; it is not that. It is never that.”
What happens next?
Remembering the story that Master Dogen tells in Bendowa, of the child of fire who came looking for fire, Sam Mallgap, prostrates himself again before the Patriarch and asks, "Now I see, Master, that what I felt and thought was true sincerity was not true sincerity. I beg you, Master, please teach me the true meaning of dropping off body and mind."
The Patriarch replies, "You are still trying to be right; still trying to become buddha. It is never that."
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