Zen Story

[Guest guest]

Nothing Exists

 

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after

another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

 

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and

sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of

phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no

sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."

 

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked

Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.

 

"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come

from?"

 

HARI OM TAT SAT

 

Yours in the Lord,

 

Br. Vinayaka