The Wisdom of the Zen Masters  (excerpt) by Irmgard Schloegl
Zen, Wisdom Stories, Wisdom Story Wisdom2be Zen, Wisdom Stories, Wisdom Story Wisdom2be

The Wisdom of the Zen Masters (excerpt) by Irmgard Schloegl

When the succession after the Fifth Patriarch was under consideration, his main disciple Jinshu was generally expected to be the heir. To present his insight, he composed a verse:

The body is the Tree of Awakening,

The heart is a bright mirror;

Carefully wipe it always So that no dust can settle.

Eno (Hui Neng), who in fact became the Sixth Patriarch, countered with another verse:

There is no Tree of Awakening;

The bright mirror has no stand;

When all is emptiness Where can dust settle?

Read More