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“The Ordinary Mind is Tao”, Koan from the Mumonkan.

8mon 14d ago by lemmy.world/u/StrangeMed in buddhism

Joshu once asked Nansen “What is Tao?”

Nansen answered “Ordinary Mind is Tao.”

“Then should we seek it or not?” asked Joshu.

"If you try to move toward it, you move away from it” answered Nansen.

Joshu continued “ If we do not direct ourselves toward it, how can we know it is the Tao?”

Nansen replied. “The Tao does not belong to knowing or to not-knowing, Knowing is illusion, And not knowing is blankness. If you really aim to attain the Tao of no doubt, it is like the great void so vast and boundless. How then can there be right and wrong in the Tao?”

At these words Joshu was suddenly enlightened!