Teaching You Zazen 8: Prostrations to Those Who Oppose and Destroy Buddhism

2007/9/16 11:44:26

There have been many in this world who oppose and destroy Buddhism — all of them deserve our prostrations. Some may ask: I believe in Buddhism, and they oppose and destroy my faith — why should I prostrate to them? Anyone who thinks this way is worse than those who oppose and destroy Buddhism.

The Buddha-dharma gives not a single dharma to anyone. Those who oppose it lose nothing; those who believe in and revere it gain nothing. To seek the Buddha-dharma with a mind of gain — how foolish. All sentient beings are equal; everyone is Buddha. Those who oppose and destroy Buddhism are no exception. Moreover, every person, throughout countless lifetimes, has played the role of opposing and destroying Buddhism countless times. Don't think that just because you now supposedly believe in and revere Buddhism, you're something special. In your last life, you might well have been an extremely active anti-Buddhist militant.

Some say: I don't believe in reincarnation. Has reincarnation ever needed your belief? Like sunrise and sunset — believe it or not, as you please. Buddhism needs no one to believe in it, and even less needs anyone to have faith in it. Faith in Buddhism adds nothing to Buddhism; lack of faith in Buddhism takes nothing from Buddhism. Believe it or not, as you please.

Those who bewitch followers, claiming that believing in and worshipping them will get you something — that's nothing but a fool's trick. Buddhism has no followers, needs no followers, and promises you nothing. Where there is gain, there must be loss. Those who want to gain something are all performing fools' tricks.

Someone asks: can zazen cure illness? What a load of rubbish! If you want to cure illness, go see a doctor. Sitting in zazen with a mind of gain — you'd be better off playing mahjong. Someone says: if zazen has no benefits whatsoever, why should I sit? Precisely because there are no benefits whatsoever — that's why you sit. Without seeking, without gaining — only then does it begin to resemble zazen. Otherwise, go beg for handouts.

Someone says: the prison of this universe is inescapable — can zazen let you escape? The so-called "transcending the three realms, beyond the five elements" — if you really want that, you'd be better off jumping off a building, into the sea, or off a cliff. Zazen has no exit and no entrance. Anything with exits and entrances is just a fool's trick.

Someone says: then why should I do zazen? Who cares why you do zazen? Zazen has never been for anything. If you want it to be for something, then go do that something — why bother sitting like some dumb bird? Only when you're no longer "for" anything does it begin to resemble zazen. If you still want it to be for something, then go be for that something. Zazen isn't even for zazen.

Someone says: so Buddhism is just passive acceptance, letting people bully you? Bodhisattvas lower their brows in compassion; Vajra guardians glare in fury. When Buddha comes, slay Buddha; when demons come, slay demons. Even Buddha can't bully you — so what exactly are you passively accepting? What are you submitting to? Only Tenth-bhumi Bodhisattvas can become Great Demon Kings. All Great Demon Kings are manifestations of Tenth-bhumi Bodhisattvas. Who told you Buddhism is nothing but evening drums and morning bells?

Above heaven and below, I alone am honored. Not a single dharma is outside the Buddha-dharma. Science is Buddha-dharma; non-science is Buddha-dharma; sorcery is Buddha-dharma; killing people like mowing grass is Buddha-dharma. The Buddha-dharma covers heaven and earth — has there ever been a single dharma outside it? To peer at the infinite world through the eyes of a mayfly — how could one know even a speck of dust of the Buddha-dharma? The Buddha-dharma encompasses all dharmas yet is bound by no single dharma. How could the worldly mind of gain and loss, good and evil, possibly comprehend it?

Someone asks: if all dharmas are Buddha-dharma, then I'll just go killing and burning — is that practicing Buddhism? There is not a single dharma in Buddhism that can be practiced. Killing and burning — whether sin or not sin, the capacity for sin and the object of sin — these are all nothing but the shared karma of the world. Killing and burning naturally carries its own karma that follows like a shadow. And this too is Buddha-dharma.

Someone asks: what should be done when encountering an evildoer? Prostrate to them, dedicate merit to them, regard them as you would regard Buddha — then cut them down with one stroke of the sword.

Someone asks: what should be done when encountering a doer of good? Prostrate to them, dedicate merit to them, regard them as you would regard Buddha — then cut them down with one stroke of the sword.

Someone asks: doesn't this mean failing to distinguish good from evil? Only in this way is good and evil truly distinguished.

Someone asks: if the Japanese invade us again, should we still prostrate and dedicate merit to them? The Japanese, George Bush — to have them drawn and quartered, dismembered — that is the finest prostration and dedication. The key is whether you have the ability to draw and quarter them, dismember them. Having or not having the ability is nothing but the shared karma of the world. Without the ability, being merely an angry youth is utterly useless. With the ability — then prostrate to them, dedicate merit to them, regard them as you would regard Buddha, then cut them down with one stroke of the sword. Toward the Japanese, like this; toward Bush, like this; toward all evildoers in the world, likewise. This is nothing but the shared karma of the world, following like a shadow — phantom people in a phantom play.

Someone asks: what is "one stroke of the sword"? The sword — neither gold nor iron. Sheathed, it fits within a speck of dust; drawn, it spans heaven and earth. Encountering Buddha, it slays Buddha; encountering demons, it slays demons; encountering humans, it slays humans; encountering ghosts, it slays ghosts. It slays all self, others, sentient beings, and those with a lifespan. This is the killing sword. Yet, to know the killing sword without knowing the life-giving sword — how could one truly know the sword?

Someone asks: during zazen, what if there's no qi sensation? Form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness — the five aggregates are all empty. What the hell are you playing at with qi sensations? When you become a corpse, where is that qi? Where is that sensation? The thieving heart refuses to die — there will never be an end.

Someone asks: during zazen, what if I go off the rails into demonic states? The Great Demon King is a manifestation of a Tenth-bhumi Bodhisattva. With your pathetic little thieving heart, you think you can go off the rails into demonic states? Do you have the qualifications? You don't even have the qualifications to become the lowliest demon king. Do you have fire in your body? Do you know what state it is when the true fire in your body ignites? Modern people, worn down by power, fame, profit, and lust — never mind fire in the body, they barely have any false fire left. In a word: if you could truly go off the rails into demonic states, that would genuinely be cause for congratulations. Unfortunately, among the six billion people alive today, finding even one who can truly go off the rails into demonic states is impossible.

Buddhism and Chan — heaven and earth cannot cover them, past and present cannot contain them. Without the ambition to cover heaven and earth and tower across all ages, why bother with Buddhism, Chan, or zazen? Go jump over walls chasing Buddha, practice one-finger Chan, or just go jerk off!