-- The Strange Teaching --                    

Zen Master Caoshan asked Venerable Qiang, “The true body of Buddha is like vast emptiness. When a thing appears there, it is like the moon reflected in water. How would you express this teaching?”
Qiang said, “It’s like a donkey looking into a well.”
Caoshan said, “You’ve said a lot, but you’ve only gotten eighty percent of it.”
Qiang said, “What would you say, Master?”
Caoshan said, “It’s like the well looking at the donkey.”

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Rumi has said that when he realized the truth he got to know that not only he was seeking the truth, but also the truth was seeking him! If truth keeps evading you how will you realize it?

-- Te-shan’s Ultimate Teaching –

Seppo asked Tokusan, "Can I also share the ultimate teaching the old patriarchs attained?" 

Tokusan hit him with a stick, saying, "What are you talking about?" 

Seppo did not understand, so he repeated his question the next day. 

Tokusan answered, "Zen has no words, and neither does it have anything to give."

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Remember! This blog is only for meditators and only a meditator free from orthodox faith systems can understand these posts.

The existence is infinite and accommodates contradictory things – the day and night, the yin and the yang all are the part of existence. But words are limited. When I say day, it leaves night behind and so on. All the philosophies and religions are therefore culprit of the humanity because they have kept the truth away from the world by giving words to the world!

Understand this! A theist believes that there is God. An atheist believes that there is no God. And each of them believe that only their set of words and philosophy are correct and hence keeps fighting. But did you see, a child was there some time ago and one day it dies and becomes NOT. Being and NOT Being, both are the part of the existence. So both theists and atheists are talking about only one side of the coin. Words are always limited. The truth is beyond words. It cannot be expressed in words.

This is why Zen doesn’t give you any philosophy. It says: Just meditate and realize the truth in your meditative silence! This is why I say, a meditator cannot be a theist or an atheist. He understands that all faith systems are bunch of words and truth is much bigger than your words. If you are not meditating and merely reading these stories then you are doing nothing but just deceiving yourself!!

-- Tao-wu's Greatest Depth --

Zen Master Tao-wu was sitting on the high seat of meditation when a monk came and asked, "What is the greatest depth of the teaching?"
(Means what is the ultimate truth?)
Tao-wu came down from the seat to kneel on the floor saying, "You are here after traveling from afar, but I am sorry to have nothing to answer you."

Later on Zen Master Fugai commented on this story : "Look out, brother! You are endangering yourself in the deep sea."
Later on Zen Master Nyogen said: "Yes, it is true. This monk does not realize his danger even though he is on the verge of drowning."

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There are multiple aspects of this story:
First : None of the answers to this question can be real answer. Each answer will give rise to thousand and one more questions and the original question will still remain unanswered. Understand this! If you ask me "Is there any God?", I can say either Yes or No. But whatever answer I give you, will give rise to thousand and one more questions. None of the answer is the real answer. And there are people who have faith on some answers and they have become so clinged to their answers that they find out all kinds of rationalization that their answer is right. Someone is theist, he believes in God. He can give you hundreds of rationalization for his answer. Someone is atheist, he doesn't believe in God. He can also give you hundred of rationalization for his answer. If you refute their answers, they will become angry with you because their answers are very superficial. Deep down they are suffering from their ignorance. By refuting those answers you are unveiling their ignorance. This very anger is the proof that they don't know the answer. They just believe that their answer is correct. This very anger is the proof of their ignorance.
No! Zen doesn't give you any new kind of answer. You are already filled with lot of answers. Zen is the art of making you empty of all the answers, making you empty of all the words and diving deep in silence.
Second : 'THAT' cannot be given by someone else. 'THAT' you have to find in your own meditation.
Third : The monk missed the lively truth in the master. He was looking for some words. This is how people have missed the Buddhas. They see them, they hear them, yet they miss them.
Meditate! Don't waste time in rationalizing your answers or seeking the answers outside. Without meditating, your answers may become right but YOU yourself will remain wrong!!!

--Matter of extraordinary wonder--

Zen Master Hyakujo's monastery was located on Daiyû Mountain.
A monk once asked Hyakujô, "What is the matter of extraordinary wonder?" 
Hyakujô said,"Sitting alone on Daiyû Peak!" 
The monk made a deep bow. Hyakujô thereupon hit him!

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No one can give you the truth. You have to meditate yourself. By practicing meditation you start living in the present moment. This is why master hit him to imply that no one can give anyone the truth!

-- The Seat --

A monk asked, "Teachers of our order say to 'abide' by sitting in the bodhi seat. What is the seat?"

Zen Master Changsha said, "Just now I'm sitting. Just now you're standing."

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Being in the present moment is the Bodhi seat!!

-- The Most Important Principle of Zen --

A monk besought Zen Master Zhaozhou to tell him the most vitally important principle of Zen.

The master, excusing himself: "I must now go to make water. Think even such a trifling thing I have to do in person."

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These Zen Masters are themselves insane and will drive us crazy too! Master Joshu was such a famous Zen Master contemporary to Rinzai, though he did not use physical beating and shouting like Rinzai. Yet why did he not tell clearly about Zen? I suspect he doesn't understand the Buddhadharma at all!!! :)

-- The Hungry Man --

Zen Master Baizhang Huaihai (720-814) said to the assembly, "There is someone who never eats but doesn't say he's hungry; there is someone who eats all day but doesn't say he's full."
No one could answer this.