We know this is absurd. A sound can come only with conflict, with two things clashing. Two hands can create sound, not one hand. Zen masters also know that, but still they have been giving this meditation for centuries. From Buddha up to now, Zen masters go on giving it. They know, their disciples know, that this is absurd. Then what is the significance? One has to watch, meditate, and move towards a sound which is already there, which is not created. That is the meaning of the sound of one hand.
I have heard a story. A small boy, just ten or twelve years of age, lived in a Zen monastery. Every day he would see many seekers coming to the master to ask for help, methods, techniques, guidance. He also became attracted, so one day he also came in the morning in the same way a seeker comes to a Zen master. With deep reverence he bowed down seven times. The master started laughing:
”What has happened to this boy?”
And then he sat in the way seekers should sit before a Zen master. Then he waited, as seekers should wait, for the master to ask, ”Why have you come?”
The master asked, ”Toyo” – Toyo was the name of the boy – ”why have you come?”
So Toyo bowed down and said, ”Master, I have come in search of truth. What shall I do? How should I practice?”
The master knew that this boy was simply imitating, because everybody he heard came and asked the same questions, so just jokingly the master said, ”Toyo, you go and meditate. Two hands clapping can create a sound. What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Toyo bowed down seven times again, went back to his room, started meditating. He heard a geisha girl singing, so he said, ”Right, this is the thing.”
He came immediately, bowed down. The master was laughing. He said, ”Did you meditate, Toyo?”
He said, ”Yes sir, and I have found it: it is like a geisha girl singing.”
The master said, ”No, this is wrong. Go again, meditate.”
So he went again, meditated for three days. Then he heard the sound of water dripping, so he said, ”Right now, this is the thing – I have got it.” He came again, the master asked... he said, ”The sound of the water dripping.”
The master said, ”Toyo, that too is not it. You go and meditate.”
So he meditated for three months. Then he heard locusts in the trees, so he said, ”Yes, I have got it.” He came again.
The master said, ”No, this too is not right.”
And so on and on. One year passed. Then for one year continuously he was not seen. The master became anxious: ”What happened to the boy? He has not come.” So he went to find him. He was sitting under a tree, silent, his body vibrating to some unknown sound; his body dancing, a very gentle dance, as if just moving with the breeze.
The master didn’t like to disturb the boy, so he sat there waiting. Hours and hours passed. When the sun was setting and it was evening, the master said, ”Toyo?” The boy opened his eyes and he said, ”This is it.”
The master said, ”Yes, you have got it!”
This aum is that sound. When all sounds disappear from the mind, then you hear a sound. The Upanishads have made that sound the symbol of the whole, because whenever the whole happens to the part, it happens in that music of aum, in that harmony of aum.
You are already a Buddha
An old Zen story tells of a pilgrim who mounted his horse and crossed formidable mountains and swift rivers seeking a famous wise man in order to ask him how to find true enlightenment. After months of searching, the pilgrim located the teacher in a cave.
The Master listened to the question and said nothing. The seeker waited. Finally, after hours of silence, the Master looked at the steed on which the pilgrim had arrived, and asked the pilgrim why he was not looking for a horse instead of enlightenment.
The pilgrim responded that obviously he already had a horse. The Master smiled, and retreated into his cave. Very indicative! The Master said, ”Why don’t you search for a horse? Why do you bother about Buddhahood?”
And the man said, ”What nonsense are you talking about? The horse is already with me. I have got the horse!Why should I seek it?”
And the Master didn’t say anything – he simply smiled and retreated into his cave. Finished! He had given the answer.
You are a Buddha. You cannot search for it. That is the great declaration of all the great religions – that you are gods and goddesses in disguise, incognito.
You have forgotten your own identity, you don’t know who you are. Hence all seeking. And sometimes you start seeking that which you are already. Then it is impossible to find... then frustration.
Don’t start seeking, just start looking at what is the case. Looking into the reality as it is, is enough. That is the meaning of Zen people when they say ”Be herenow” – look into reality.
Nothing is missing, all is already here. Listening to it, please avoid creating an ideal; otherwise your ideal will mislead you.
Tetsugen and three set of sutras
This story is few centuries old when wooden blocks were used to preserve the holy words.
Tetsugen was a Great devotee of Zen in Japan and although he has left the body he is still very much alive in many hearts. During his time Sutras (Holy scripts) were available in Chinese language only.
Zen had started in china and from there it flourished more in Japan and now it is reaching to people all over the world. Tetsugen decided to print these Sutras (Holy scripts) in wooden blocks. It was a big project as 7000 wooden blocks were required.
Tetsugen himself did not have the money so he started traveling around the country and collecting the funds. Few people gave money lavishly but mostly people were miser in their donation but Tetsugen thanked each person from his heart full of gratitude. After 10 years Tetsugen had enough money to start publishing the Sutras.
Incidentally at the same time the river overflowed and many families were in distress. Tetsugen took the money he had collected for the project and used it to help the starving families.
Then again Tetsugen started collecting the money to raise the funds for the books. It took him several more years to collect the required fund. Incidentally this time an epidemic followed in the country. The generous Tetsugen again distributed the money he had collected to help the starving people.
Now for a third time Tetsugen again started collecting money. Finally after twenty years, his wish was fulfilled. He managed to print the Sutras in to wooden block.
The wooden blocks which were produced by Tetsugen are available at the Obaku monastery in Kyoto. The Japanese people tell their children that Tetsugen had made three sets of sutras and first two invisible sets of sutras surpass even the last.
Source: This story originally published in the book “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones”
Maulingaputta and Gautam Buddha
Osho : One great philosopher, Maulingaputta, came to Buddha, and he started asking questions... questions after questions. Must have been an incarnation of Patrick! Buddha listened silently for half an hour. Maulingaputta started feeling a little embarrassed because he was not answering, he was simply sitting there smiling, as if nothing had happened, and he had asked such important questions, such significant questions.
Finally Buddha said, "Do you really want to know the answer?" Maulingaputta said, "Otherwise why should I have come to you? I have traveled at least one thousand miles to see you." And remember, in those days, one thousand miles was really one thousand miles! It was not hopping in a plane and reaching within minutes or within hours. One thousand miles was one thousand miles.
It was with great longing, with great hope that he had come. He was tired, weary from the journey, and he must have followed Buddha because Buddha himself was traveling continuously. He must have reached one place and people said, "Yes, he was here three months ago. He has gone to the north" -- so he must have traveled north.
Slowly slowly, he was coming closer and closer and then the day came, the great day, when people said, "Just yesterday morning he left; he must have reached only the next village. If you rush, if you run, you may be able to catch him."
And then one day he caught up with him, and he was so joyous he forgot all his arduous journey and he started asking all the questions he had planned all the way along, and Buddha smiled and sat there and asked, "Do you really want to have the answer?"
Maulingaputta said, "Then why have I traveled so long? It has been a long suffering -- it seems I have been traveling my whole life, and you are asking, 'Do you really want the answer?'"
Buddha said, "I am asking again: Do you really want the answer? Say yes or no, because much will depend on it."
Maulingaputta said, "Yes!"
Then Buddha said, "For two years sit silently by my side -- no asking, no questions, no talking. Just sit silently by my side for two years. And after two years you can ask whatsoever you want to ask, and I promise you I will answer it."
A disciple, a great disciple of Buddha, Manjushree, who was sitting underneath another tree, started laughing so loudly, started almost rolling on the ground. Maulingaputta said, "What has happened to this man? Out of the blue, you are talking to me, you have not said a single word to him, nobody has said anything to him -- is he telling jokes to himself?"
Buddha said, "You go and ask him."
He asked Manjushree. Manjushree said, "Sir, if you really want to ask the question, ask right now -- this is his way of deceiving people. He deceived me. I used to be a foolish philosopher just like you. His answer was the same when I came; you have traveled one thousand miles, I had traveled two thousand."
Manjushree certainly was a great philosopher, more well-known in the country. He had thousands of disciples. When he had come he had come with one thousand disciples -- a great philosopher coming with his following.
"And Buddha said, 'Sit silently for two years.' And I sat silently for two years, but then I could not ask a single question. Those days of silence...slowly slowly, all questions withered away. And one thing I will tell you: he keeps his promise, he is a man of his word. After exactly two years -- I had completely forgotten, lost track of time, because who bothers to remember? As silence deepened I lost track of all time.
"When two years passed, I was not even aware of it. I was enjoying the silence and his presence. I was drinking out of him. It was so incredible! In fact, deep down in my heart I never wanted those two years to be finished, because once they were finished he would say, 'Now give your place to somebody else to sit by my side, you move away a little. Now you are capable of being alone, you don't need me so much.'
Just as the mother moves the child when he can eat and digest and no longer needs to be fed on the breast. So," Manjushree said, "I was simply hoping that he would forget all about those two years, but he remembered -- exactly after two years he asked, 'Manjushree, now you can ask your questions.' I looked within; there was no question and no questioner either -- a total silence. I laughed, he laughed, he patted my back and said, 'Now, move away.'
"So, Maulingaputta, that's why I started laughing, because now he is playing the same trick again. And this poor Maulingaputta will sit for two years silently and will be lost forever, will never be able to ask a single question. So I insist, Maulingaputta, if you really want to ask, ASK NOW!
Note: Maulingaputta accepted Buddha's condition and realized the Buddha Nature.
Bulleh Shah and His Master
Bulleh Shah was born in Syed family. Thus he was descendant of Prophet Mohammed. Bulleh Shah was well versed in many scriptures but what ever he knew from scriptures was not his personal experience. So Bulleh Shah was searching for a Guru. And when ever a seeker is ready, Guru appears. This is the rule of existence.
Bulleh shah had a deep desire to meet his Guru who can take him to other shore. He was doing many spiritual practices even before meeting guru and had some spiritual powers also. But his heart was not satisfied. His thirst for God was very deep and only real experience could have satisfied it.
One day he heard about one man Inayat Shah who had attained the Ultimate. Bulleh Shah belonged to a very rich family but this man was from very low caste family land. He was a Gardener.
When Bulleh Shah first time went to meet Inayat Shah, he was Planting an Onion crop. Inayat Shah's back was towards Bulleh Shah. Now Bulleh Shah didn’t had the courage to call the attention of Inayat Shah. Bulleh Shah saw there are many mango trees in front of Inayat Shah.
Bulleh Shah closed his eyes and remembered Allah for a minute. Mangoes started falling from the tree. When mangoes started falling Inayat Shah looked at falling mangoes and saw one man standing behind him.
Inayat Shah said “Oh you thief, why you are making these mangoes fall”
Bulleh Shah looked here and there but there was no one around. Bulleh shah said “if you are asking me then see, I don’t have any stone or stick in my hand. How can I make these mangoes fall”
Inayat Shah said “You are clever also. What do you want?”
Bulleh Shah said “I am searching for God” and he fell at Inayat Shah feet.
Inayat Shah said “Why you are falling below. Look upwards towards me.”
Bulleh shah looked towards Inayat Shah. And the way Inayat Shah looked at him. Seeing so much compassion and love in Inayat Shah eyes Bulleh shah fell in deep love with him.
Sahajo is one lady in whole spiritual history who has sang lot of songs in praise of Guru. But Bulleh Shah's love for his Guru was exceptional. Bulleh Shah's eyes were always thirsty for his Guru's Vision. His Love for his Guru was so intense that once his guru became angry with Bulleh Shah and asked him to leave his house immediately.
Now Bulleh Shah can was in terrible agony. Day and night he was thinking how to please his Guru. From some where he came to know that his guru loves dance. Just to please his Guru, Bulleh Shah learned dance from prostitutes and became a dancing Girl. Such was the intensity of his love for his Guru.
Knowledge is Trouble
Osho : Meditation is needed because you have become unnatural. If you live a natural life... and by ’natural’ I mean: live the moment as it is – don’t try to put any should on it, don’t try to transform it into anything else. Just accept the moment as it is. When angry, be angry and accept it; and don’t create an ideal of not being angry. And when the anger has passed, don’t repent. There is nothing to repent about – it was so! When in love, love, and don’t think how love should be. Don’t consult love manuals, just let love flow naturally.
I have heard about a great warrior in Japan, a samurai, a very famous swordsman: One night when he came tired after the whole day’s fight in the fields and he was just going to fall into bed, he saw a rat. And the rat was looking at him ferociously! The samurai tried to kill the rat with his sword. He was one of the best swordsmen known, but somehow he missed. He hit many times, he broke his sword, and he could not kill the rat. He became really afraid: ”The rat seems to be very mysterious. This is no ordinary rat!”
He started, perspiring – he had never perspired. He had been a fighter his whole life and now a rat had defeated him. He ran out, asked his wife what to do. The wife said, ”You are a fool! You need not kill a rat. Have you ever heard of anybody killing a rat by a sword? You just take our cat inside.” And the cat was brought inside. It was no ordinary cat, it was the great warrior’s cat. She was also trained in many things; she was one of the most famous rat-catchers.She came with all her art, with all her skill.
She tried, but the rat was really extraordinary. He jumped exactly into her eyes! And the cat escaped out. She had never seen such a rat – attacking the cat?! And she was also trembling like the warrior. The warrior said, ”This is too much!” Then the king’s cat was called. She was a master cat, very well-known all over the country; of
course, she was the king’s cat. The king’s cat came and she was also defeated by the rat. She went in, tried hard, used all her skill, but the rat was just too much.
Then the king’s cat suggested a cat she knew who was not famous at all. ”You have tried with famous cats, now you try with an ordinary one... just ordinary, plain ordinary.”
The warrior said, ”But what can a plain, ordinary cat do?”
Innocence is Divine
Zen has no value system. Zen only brings one thing into the world: understanding, awareness. Through awareness comes innocence. And innocence is innocent of good and bad, both. Innocence is simply innocence – it knows no distinction.
The last story. It is about Ryokan – the same master I was talking about a few days before, who burned the roof to save the bamboo shoot. Ryokan was a great lover of children. As might be expected of such a character as he was, he himself was a child. He was the child Jesus speaks about. He was so innocent that it was almost unbelievable that a man can be so innocent. He had no cunning, no cleverness. He was so innocent that people used to think that he was a little mad.
He liked to play with children. He played hide-and-seek, he played tamari, hand-ball, too. One evening it was his turn to hide, and he hid himself well under a straw stack in the field. It was growing darker and the children, not being able to locate him, left the field. Early in the following morning, a farmer came and had to remove the straw stack to begin his work. Finding Ryokan there, he exclaimed, ’Oh Ryokan-sama! What are you doing here?’
The master answered, ’Hush! Don’t talk so loud, the children will find me.’
The whole night under that straw he is waiting for the children! Such innocence is Zen. And such innocence is divine. Such innocence knows no distinctions between good and bad, knows no distinctions between this world and that, knows no distinction between this and that. Such innocence is what suchness is. And this suchness is the innermost core of religion.
Source: Swami Vivekananda and Pavhari Baba
Swami Vivekananda was traveling around the India as an unknown monk as he was keeping his identity secret. On the way to Varanasi he came to know that Swami Yogananda, one of his brother disciples, was lying ill in Allahabad. He wanted to meet Yogananda. So he started moving towards Varanasi. On his way he came to know about the Saint Pavhari Baba, the 'air-eating holy man.'
Pavhari Baba practiced the disciplines of Yoga and Vedanta and was a Gyani. At this time Swami Vivekananda was tremendously in pain mentally as well physically. He was suffering from the sever pain of lumbago which had made it almost impossible for Swami Vivekananda either to move about or to sit in meditation. Swami Vivekananda was further mentally distressed, for the illness of Abhedananda and Swami Yogananda, his brother disciples. In reality Swami Vivekananda was very soft-natured man but outwardly he seems to be very stern because of his Vedantic views.
Swami Vivekananda wanted to forget the world and his own body through Yoga practices and he was looking at Pavhari Baba for the instructions, thus intending to make the saint his guru. But the Pavhari Baba, with characteristic humility, put him off from day to day.
One night when Swami Vivekananda was lying in bed thinking of Pavhari Baba, Sri Ramakrishna appeared to him and stood silently near the door, looking intently into Swami Vivekananda eyes. This vision of Sri Ramakrishna repeated for twenty-one days. Swami Vivekananda understood and he reproached himself bitterly for his lack of complete faith in Sri Ramakrishna. Tearfully he recalled how Sri Ramakrishna had fulfilled all his prayers and had forgiven his offences by the million and removed his afflictions.
Swami Vivekananda faith in Sri Ramakrishna was restored. But as long as Swami Vivekananda lived he cherished sincere affection and reverence for Pavhari Baba and one of the instructions of Pavhari baba which Swami Vivekananda cherished most was: 'Live in the house of your Master like a cow,' which emphasizes the spirit of service and humility in the relationship between the Master and the disciple.
Zen Master in Jail
A Zen master had been put into jail several times.... Now a step further! These Zen people are really eccentric people, mad people – but they do beautiful things.
A Zen master had been put into jail several times.... Now, it is one thing to forgive a thief, it is one thing not to think that he is bad, it is another thing to go to jail oneself. And not once, many times – for stealing small things from his neighbours. And the neighbours knew, and they were puzzled: Why does this man steal? and such small things. But the moment he would be out of prison he would steal again, and he would go back. Even the judges were worried. But they had to send him to jail, because he would confess.
He would never say, ’I have not stolen.’
Finally the neighbours gathered together, and they said, ’Sir, don’t steal any more. You are getting old, and we are ready to provide you with all that you need – all your necessities, whatsoever it is. You stop this! We are very much worried, and we are very sad. Why do you go on doing this?
And the old man laughed. And he said, ’I steal in order to get in with the prisoners, and bring them the inner message. Who will help them? Outside, for you prisoners, there are many masters. But inside the jail there is no master. Who will help them, you tell me?
This is my way to get in and help those people. So when my punishment is over and I am thrown out, I have to steal something and go back again. I am going to continue this. And I have found there in jail such beautiful souls, such innocent souls – sometimes far MORE innocent....’
Once it happened, one of my friends became a governor of a state in India, and he allowed me to go into jails all over his state. And I went for years, and I was surprised. The people who are in jails are far more innocent than the politicians in New Delhi, than the rich people, than the so-called saints. I know almost all the saints of this country.
They are more cunning. I have found in the criminals such innocent souls.... I can understand this old Zen master’s idea – of stealing, of getting caught, and bringing the message to them. ’I steal in order to get in with the prisoners and bring them the inner message.’
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