Genjokoan 15: Zen Fandom.


 

Zen Master Hotetsu of Mayoku-zan mountain is using a fan. A monk comes by and asks, “The nature of air is to be ever-present, and there is no place that [air] cannot reach. Why then does the Master use a fan?”

The Master says, “You have only understood that the nature of air is to be ever-present, but you do not yet know the truth that there is no place [air] cannot reach.”

The monk says, “What is the truth of there being no place [air] cannot reach?”

At this, the Master just [carries on] using the fan. 


Master Dogen concludes Genjokoan with a short commentary on this great koan encounter from Zen tradition.

The monk understands the nature of Buddhist practice-realisation, but only as a principle -- 'air is everywhere'.

It's true that we're living as a part of manifesting reality all the time - how could it be any other way? And yet we often don't directly realise this fact or principle, being caught up in our habitual thoughts and narratives and feelings...

Master Hotetsu indicates that the monk has yet to bring this principle to actuality in his practice -- 'air' has not reached everywhere. The monk has not yet clarified via 'dropping off body and mind' that every aspect of himself is 'air'.

And so Master Hotetsu continues his simple, direct action of fanning himself, bringing the nature of 'air' to bear on his own body-mind.

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