Saturday, January 06, 2007

Verbal judo on Zen

If Zen is so Zen-like
About losing the “I”
Or learning it doesn’t exist,
Then why do the koans
Name monks by name
And cite their authority by reputation?

If satori is instantaneous,
No sage can say so;
If it is ephemeral,
No sage can deny.
And if it is not —
Then neither is Zen.

The only true Buddha is a dead Buddha.

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