| |
DO YOU APPRECIATE THE MEANING OF THIS OR NOT?
He is asking the assembly of the other monks.
Before I discuss the answers of other monks, I would like to repeat again that fundamentally Joshu is absurd. There is no way; hence, the question of its difficulty or easiness does not arise. Because there is no way, there is no question of choice, choicelessness, judgment or no judgment, clarity or cloudedness.
So remember -- I was not in the assembly of Joshu, unfortunately, but time makes no difference. What I could not say in his assembly, I am saying in my own:
The way exists not. You are the very goal.
Now have a look to the assembly of Joshu's disciples...
THEN A MONK ASKED, "IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT CLARITY, WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE?" JOSHU SAID,
"I DO NOT KNOW THAT EITHER."
Again remember Bodhidharma saying that standing before you is no knowing. He does not even by implication allow the existence of an ego. Joshu does not have that penetration. He is far closer to Socrates. He says, I DO NOT KNOW THAT EITHER. He accepts the existence of `I' and he accepts the existence of ignorance. He misses the great peak of no knowing.
THE MONK SAID, "IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT CLARITY?"
These are tremendously beautiful dialogues. It is unfortunate that in our times there are no such assemblies; no such dialogues are happening, not even in our great universities. Everything has become so small, so mundane; everything has become so commercial.
The monk said to Joshu, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT CLARITY? At least you know this much: that you don't have that clarity. The same would have been the situation of Socrates, but he was surrounded by very ordinary disciples. Joshu may not be right, but certainly he has great disciples.
The disciple is saying, "You say, I don't have that clarity -- at least you have accepted that you know SOMETHING. It is enough to show the contradiction."
JOSHU SAID, "ASKING THE QUESTION IS GOOD ENOUGH. NOW MAKE YOUR BOWS AND RETIRE."
Not a great statement... The monk, unknown, was far more
|
|
|