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> 13 quotes tagged "direct-experience"
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Whenever Gutei was asked about Zen, he simply raised one finger. A young attendant began to imitate him. Gutei cut off the boy's finger. As the boy ran away in pain, Gutei called to him. When he turned, Gutei raised his finger. The boy was enlightened.Mumonkan, Case 3
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Buddha held up a flower before the assembly. Everyone was silent. Only Mahakashyapa smiled. Buddha said, 'I have the eye of true teaching, the heart of Nirvana, the true aspect of non-form. I now entrust it to Mahakashyapa.'Mumonkan, Case 6
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The emperor called to his teacher, 'National Teacher!' three times. Three times the teacher responded, 'Yes?' The emperor said, 'I thought I was being disrespectful to you, but you are being disrespectful to me!' The teacher made no reply.Mumonkan, Case 17
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Joshu asked Nansen, 'What is the Way?' Nansen answered, 'Everyday mind is the Way.' Joshu asked, 'Should I try to direct myself toward it?' Nansen said, 'If you try, you miss it.' Joshu asked, 'If I don't try, how can I know it is the Way?' Nansen replied, 'The Way does not belong to knowing or not knowing. Knowing is illusion, not knowing is blankness. If you truly reach the genuine Way, you will find it as vast and boundless as outer space. How can this be discussed at the level of affirmation and negation?'Mumonkan, Case 19
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Ananda asked Kashyapa, 'The World-Honored One transmitted to you the robe of gold brocade. What else did he transmit?' Kashyapa said, 'Ananda!' Ananda answered, 'Yes!' Kashyapa said, 'Knock down the flagpole at the gate.'Mumonkan, Case 22
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A non-Buddhist asked the Buddha, 'I do not ask for words, I do not ask for non-words.' The Buddha remained silent. The non-Buddhist said, 'The World-Honored One's great mercy has cleared away my delusions and enabled me to enter the path,' and he left. Ananda asked the Buddha, 'What did he realize?' The Buddha said, 'A good horse runs even at the shadow of the whip.'Mumonkan, Case 32
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When Isan's teacher wanted to choose a successor, he asked who could answer correctly. He put a water vase on the ground and asked, 'Without calling it a water vase, what is it?' The head monk said, 'You cannot call it a wooden sandal.' Isan kicked the vase over and walked away. He became the teacher's successor.Mumonkan, Case 40
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Eka said to Bodhidharma, 'My mind is not at peace. Please pacify my mind.' Bodhidharma said, 'Bring me your mind and I will pacify it.' Eka said, 'I have searched for my mind, but I cannot find it.' Bodhidharma said, 'There, I have pacified your mind.'Traditional Zen
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A monk asked, 'Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?' Zhaozhou said, 'The cypress tree in the courtyard.'Blue Cliff Record
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A monk asked, 'What is the meaning of meditation and study?' Zhaozhou said, 'In the morning we eat rice gruel, at midday we eat rice.'Traditional Zen
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A monk asked Dizang, 'Where can I find the place to enter?' Dizang said, 'Can you hear the sound of the valley stream?' The monk said, 'Yes, I can hear it.' Dizang said, 'Enter there.'Traditional Zen
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Xuedou said, 'If you want to attain intimate understanding, just don't develop any concepts. The past is already past. The future has not yet arrived. Here and now—speak!'Traditional Zen
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Fayan said, 'When there's a hair's breadth of difference, it is like the distance between heaven and earth.'Traditional Zen