On 6/1/05, Eugene <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi Neutral Milk,
>
> You have my attention... Can you tell me more about this 'bullshit
> Zen' or 'fox Zen'? Do you have links or other pointers?
Hi Eugene,
Fox Zen is synonymous with phony practice. It became apparent from the
very beginnings of the Buddhist tradition that there always were
people who would try to fake it. In China, such fakers were derided as
fox Zen practitioners (in China, fox is happens to be the most
despised animal).
This expression ('fox Zen') originated from the famous "Pai-chang's
Fox" koan (or, in Japanese "Hyakujo's Fox"). I've presented this koan,
in its entirety, for your perusal (please see below).
Have fun poking around for foxes!
------------------------------------------------
Pai-chang's Fox
Whenever Pai-chang delivered a lecture an old man was always there
with the monks listening to it; and when they left the Hall, so did
he. One day, however, he stayed behind, and Pai-chang asked him: "Who
are you?"
The old man replied: "I am not a human being, but I was a human being
when the Kashyapa Buddha (the Sixth Buddha of the Seven Ancient
Buddhas) preached in this world. I was a Zen master and lived on this
mountain. At that time one of my students asked me whether the
enlightened man is subject to the law of causation. I answered him:
"The enlightened man is not subject to the law of causation." For this
answer evidencing a clinging to absoluteness I became a fox for five
hundred rebirths, and I am still a fox. Will you save me from this
condition with your Zen words and let me get out of a fox's body? Now
may I ask you: Is the enlightened man subject to the law of
causation?"
Pai-chang said: "The enlightened man does not ignore the law of
causation as he is one with the law of causation."
At the words of Pai-chang the old man was enlightened. "I am
emancipated," he said, paying homage with a deep bow. "I am no more a
fox, but I have to leave my body in my dwelling place behind this
mountain. Please perform my funeral as a monk." Then he disappeared.
The next day Pai-chang gave an order through the chief monk to prepare
to attend the funeral of a monk. "No one was sick in the infirmary,"
wondered the monks. "What does our teacher mean?"
After dinner Pai-chang led the monks out and around the mountain. In a
cave, with his staff he poked out the corpse of an old fox and then
performed the ceremony of cremation.
That evening Pai-chang gave a talk to the monks and told this story
about the law of causation.
Huang-po, upon hearing this story, asked Pai-chang: "I understand that
a long time ago because a certain person gave a wrong Zen answer he
became a fox for five hundred rebirths. Now I was to ask: If some
modern master is asked many questions, and he always gives the right
answer, what will become of him?"
Pai-chang said: "You come here near me and I will tell you."
Huang-po went near Pai-chang and slapped the teacher's face with this
hand, for he knew this was the answer his teacher intended to give
him.
Pai-chang clapped his hands and laughed at the discernment. "I thought
a Persian had a red beard," he said, "and now I know a Persian who has
a red beard."
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