#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://old.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1fba4h5/jinniu_breaks_into_a_dance_blue_cliff_record_74/

Link to episode:  ???

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#What did we end up talking about?

the Case: ”Every day at the midday meal, Master Jinniu personally manned the rice bucket and standing before the Sangha Hall broke into a dance. Whooping and laughing, he would say, “Little bodhisattvas! Come and eat the rice!”  (Xuedou said, “Although he acted this way, Jinniu was not good-hearted.”)  A monk asked Changqing, “The man of old taught, ‘Little bodhisattvas! Come and eat the rice!’ What did he mean?”  Changqing said, “It really seems. he was extolling each meal as an occasion for joy"

What is a bodhisattva?

> They have these traits: These beings are exemplified by important spiritual qualities such as the "four divine abodes" (brahmavihāras) of loving-kindness (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), empathetic joy (muditā) and equanimity (upekṣā), 

.

> Then the bodhisattva Avaloki­teśvara addressed the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the ten stages of the bodhisattva are called (1) Utmost  (or Perfect) Joy, (2) Stainless, (3) Illuminating, (4) Radiant, (5) Hard to Conquer, (6) Manifest, (7) Far-Reaching, (8) Immovable, (9) Excellent Intelligence, and (10) Cloud of Dharma.  In the same chapter, the bodhisattva Avaloki­teśvara asks the Buddha why the grounds have these particular names.     “Blessed One, why is the first stage called Utmost Joy? Why are the other stages up to the Buddha Stage called what they are?” ...“The first stage is called Utmost Joy because there is a supreme and immense joy in attaining the immaculate and sublime purpose, the supramundane mind.

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> Huangbo: Even if you go through all the stages of a Bodhisattva's progress towards Buddhahood, one by one.

.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1f4aquf/29_xuefengs_feathers_and_wings_new_aiassisted/

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#What did we end up talking about?

Koan aka Case in plain English:

1.  Xuefeng kocks on door of Teacher Wushi  2.  Wushi asks who is it? 3.  Xuefeng says it's a baby King of Birds, wants wisdom 4.  Wushi opens the door, grabs Xuefeng, demands Xuefeng give the wisdom 5.  Xuefeng chokes, Wushi slams the door in his face. 6.  Xuefeng later uses this historical event (koan) to teach his own congregation, who has come to him for wisdom. 7.  Xuefeng says, if I had gotten any wisdom at that time, I wouldn't be here now to teach you.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1ewdwyv/overthrowing_buddhas_teaching/

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# ewk translation

 Master Guishan,  initially joined the assembly at Baizhang [Mountain, under Master Baizhang].  Baizhang, intending to choose the master for the great [temple at] Guishan [Mountain], then invited the head seat to address the assembly, saying, "Those who are exceptional may come forward."    Baizhang then picked up a Purified Bottle, placed it on the ground, and posed the question, "You must not call this a Purified Bottle1. What do you call it?"    The head seat then said, "It cannot be called a block of wood." Baizhang then asked Guishan.    Guishan then toppled the purified bottle and left.    Baizhang laughed and said, "The first seat has lost to Guishan," and thus he named him the founder.

Wumen says,

 "Guishan's moment of courage, yet he could not leap out of Baizhang's circle. Upon examination, [the yoke] is found weighty, not light." "Why is it that, deaf [unable to hear the instructions for the contest, because of the head wrap], he could free his bound head2 and lift an iron yoke [of service on Mount Guishan]?"

The verse says,

 "Knocked down, the strainer3 and the wooden ladle together,     with one thrust under the bright sun, nothing obstructs;   Baizhang's heavy barrier could not hold [him] back,   With a flick of his foot, [because he expounded the dharma, there were] Buddhas [everywhere] like hemp."

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#What did we end up talking about?

What's the water bottle.

What's the longer version.

What's the reason for Wumen shortening it.

What's the head scarf.

What the deal with a franchise.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1eqbs65/monday_motivation_welcome_to_reality/

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1enf7je/dont_trust_anybody_on_whatll_get_you_there/

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#What did we end up talking about?

Translation questions and popular errors, the one coin two sides problem.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1ekmfjr/monday_motivation_no_explain/

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#What did we end up talking about?

Foyan: People who can't explain have problems... they live in a fog of darkness.

Religion in education Buddhists on the internet Practicing Catholics What motivates people?  Right to question.  Political/economic stability.  Lack of barriers to entry.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1ehq0kj/why_sutras_are_not_zen/

三十八 牛過窗櫺

• Thirty-eight: The Buffalo Passes Through the Lattice

五祖曰。譬如水牯牛過窗櫺。頭角四蹄都過了。因甚麼。尾巴過不得。

• The Wuzu said, "Consider a water buffalo passing through a window latticed frame1. Its head, horns, and four hooves have all passed through. Why then can't the tail pass through?"

【無門曰】

• Wumen says,

若向者裏。顛倒著得一隻眼。下得一轉語。可以上報四恩下資三有。其或未然。更須照顧尾巴始得。

• "If in this matter, you can gain one eye by turning things upside down and articulate a phrase that turns it around, you can repay the four kinds of kindness2 above, and help the three realms below. If not, you must still take care of the tail before you can succeed."

【頌曰】

• The verse says,

過去墮坑塹　回來卻被壞　者些尾巴子　直是甚奇怪

• "Having passed through, it falls into a pit; coming back broke his tail. This tail, indeed, is most peculiar."

1An wood lactice boarder around the inside of a window with no glass, decorative, making the window smaller.

2Metta (good will) , karuna (compassionate helpfulness), mudita (joy in others’ success), and upekkha (acceptance).

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#What did we end up talking about?

Yamada "latticed window" and JC has "window frame". It's not a metaphor. It's a double entendre, in which the metaphor for enlightenment depends on the very realistic scenario of a cow trying to go through a large picture window. How does the poem make sense?  Because it totally does, it's simple.

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#Post(s) in Question

Post:  https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1ecn2kw/zen_irl_if_you_cant_win_an_argument_you_arent/

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#What did we end up talking about?

Is ignorance why people lose arguments?  If you don't like broccoli, is that really ignorance?

Types of losing: facts, (their) irrationality, (your) confusion/doubt

Why is winning the focus of Zen historical records?

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#Post(s) in Question

Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/comments/1eby2r6/if_words_confuse_you_that_means_you_cant_pass/

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#What did we end up talking about?

"Because he was asked" is a historical record

Zhaozhou says "no particular intention" so why did Bodhidharma take a long (intentional) boat ride.

What does this "tree" thing mean?

Can you know what a tree intends?  How can we know what Bodhidharma intended?

What does it mean to have no intention?

Somebody says "responding to conditions as they arise" is intentional, but not intended.

How to read a koan:

1. Assume the zen master is answering the question (and not confused, mishearing, talking to someone else) 2. Understand French Club, speaking in French, answering in French Club cultural context

What makes Zhaozhou's answer "Zen Club sytle"?

No Buddhas.  No other King.  

Jesus was never born.  He is not coming again.

Help being recieved, and how we all see the world that way.

Types of directions: telling you where to go, telling you a fantasy about going, telling you how someone else was told in a reasonable way.

Where should you go?

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