Gateway To Eastern Philosophy & Religion (February 2013)

From the book Gateway to Eastern Philosophy & Religion, excerpted and reprinted with permission from Good Karma Publishing, and available on www.gkpub.com.

~ A Story: Death ~

The Emperor of Japan said to the national Zen Master, “Where will you go when you die?” The Zen Master replied, “I don’t know.” The Emperor was surprised. He said, “You’re a Master, why don’t you know?” And the Zen Master replied, “Because I haven’t died yet!” Pretty down to earth! It’s a good answer and good teaching, too, because it takes away all these preconceptions. If you ask the same question of an Indian teacher, he would probably go on for hours about all the probabilities even though you know he doesn’t really know the answer. As a matter of fact, when a friend of mine from Japan, Genjin Suzaki (who taught Indian Buddhism at Otani University in Kyoto), went to India, he told me he came home one night and there was a group of students and a teacher discussing Indian philosophy downstairs. He said “hello” to them, went upstairs, had a night’s sleep, got up, took a shower, ate breakfast and came downstairs. They were still talking philosophy! Lengthy discussions are not unusual with Indian culture. Characteristic of Indian philosophy, teachers would give a lot of answers.

Now the same question about death was expressed when a student asked, “Where will you go when you die?” The Zen Master said, “Right to Hell.” The student was surprised! “Why would you, a Zen Master, go to Hell?” He answered, “If I don’t go to Hell, who will be there to teach you?”

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

~ A Story: Throw It Out! ~

I’m going to tell you one Zen story. It illustrates Zen’s feeling of emptiness or Void. Chao Chou, a Chinese man whose name in Japan is “Joshu,” was a wonderful teacher! (My teacher, Roshi Sazaki, took his name from Joshu.) Chao Chou started practice at 60, reached Zen enlightenment at 80, and taught to 120. What a remarkable guy!

One of his monks said to him, “If a man comes here carrying nothing, what should I tell him?” Chao Chou said, “Tell him to throw it out!” “Well, if he’s not carrying anything, how can he throw it out?” “Ok, then tell him to carry it out.”

It’s very humorous, but there’s deep meaning! The monk is asking, “If a man comes here who’s found emptiness and has a Sunyata personality, has completely reached that goal, there isn’t anything to tell him, is there?” Chao Chou is saying, “I have no time for such a guy. He’s fixated on it! Fine, he’s reached it, let him throw it away!” Zen continually emphasizes that after the enlightenment, after you’ve succeeded, forget it! Go back into the world, and make the complete circle. Live as an ordinary person again. So then the monk says, “If he’s not bringing anything, he doesn’t have anything, how can I tell him to throw it out?” “Tell him to carry it out!”

In other words, it isn’t enough to reach the final goal. You’ve got to block the goal out. Pretty difficult stuff! I love that story because when I tell it, people always laugh. He comes here carrying nothing, what should I tell him, tell him to throw it out! That has deep meaning to it. All the very simple stories in Zen have deep meanings, but you have to realize what they’re really talking about.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

I emphasize that yoga is a science. It is not a religion. It does not matter if you’re an atheist or a believer. These practices will bring these results. Practice and experience.

Yoga says, by controlling the breath, mind is controlled. And vice versa. Ramana Maharshi, a great teacher, said the highest form of worship is the repetition of the name of God while the breath is held. Very often I chant the Gayatri Mantra (some of you know it):

Om Bhuh Bhuvah Svah

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi

Dyo Yoo Nah Prachodayat.

We sing it rather than chant it. Ramana Maharshi said that the first four words in the Gayatri Mantra, Om Bhuh Bhuva Svah, are the sounds of creation! So, when you’re chanting the Gayatri Mantra (which is the one mantra in India that is felt to be for all people of all castes, of all places, at any time), the first four sounds, according to Ramana Maharshi, are the sounds of creation.

In regard to yogic practice, remember this truism: these tendencies do not belong to somebody, somebody is the creation of these tendencies. Your tendencies do not belong to you, you belong to the tendencies. You are the creation of the tendencies. So, you want to remake yourself? Just change the tendencies!