A monk asked "Does a dog have Buddha Mind?"
the master said "Mu!"
Mu means both: "the void, the great emptiness of the Buddha mind" but also means: "negative" (as in no).
Cleaver huh? It could be taken as the master did not know the answer, it could be taken as one meaning or the other, it could be and is, that the answer is open.
I have seen a number of dogs lately and am often struck by there brilliant Tao. The master (of the dog, not the monastery) could be rich or poor, the dog is happy. The world can be in financial melt down, trees need sniffing. Clouds may be over head, chasing balls is fun. It may be going home time, chin needs scratching. - As we personify dogs we can't truly say, in their terms, if they do have a great outlook on life or not. Are they being Tao masters in hairy suits or just so simple as to be suck in the present? Mu indeed, they are both.
What is a master but a person who has simplified? Stupid to those who watch him, poor to those who judge his possessions, illogical to those who debate with him. Perfect.
No comments:
Post a Comment