INTRODUCTION | Zen Wisdom

This book has been eight years in the making. Shortly after I came to the United States from Taiwan and began guiding Westerners in the practice of Ch’an (Zen), students of mine decided to publish a newsletter and magazine. That was in 1979. Since then, the Ch’an Center has evolved, we have published numerous books, and our other publications have grown.

In 1984, the editor at that time suggested that we introduce a section to the magazine entitled, “Dharma View.” Simply, it would be a question asked by a student of me, the master, relating to practice or philosophy. It was to be an “all those things you wanted to know about Ch’an but never had the opportunity to ask” format. The first question, I remember, was, “What is the Buddhist idea of self?” Perhaps I could have answered in one sentence, and if I had, the idea for Dharma View would have died right there; but I decided to answer in more detail. Since then, many questions have been asked on an array of topics.

During the time of the Buddha, some people could not or would not accept all of his teachings. It’s not that the Buddha was suspect; rather, it is normal for people to be skeptical, suspicious, and doubtful. Also, some things are hard, or even impossible, to understand without direct experience.

A similar situation has arisen between me and my students. At one point, some of my more skeptical students requested that I explain Buddhadharma more fully. Before this time, students accepted everything I said as gospel truth. Such an attitude can be a problem. Since I usually communicate to Westerners through an interpreter, some things may be lost in translation. For example, the interpreter may not convey exactly what the questioner had in mind, which can lead to an entirely different answer on my part. If students don’t question me, they may end up misinformed. My students, however, did question me, not being clear about some of my answers. They asked me for clarification, to give examples and not leave things so seemingly mystical or abstract. Actually, the more students ask me to explain myself, the better it is for everyone. For this, I am grateful to my students.

I am not one who boasts of enlightenment, I am not all knowing, and I am not an expert on Western culture. I am a Buddhist monk who has received transmission in two Ch’an lineages: Ts’ao-tung (Japanese: Soto) and Lin-chi (Japanese: Rinzai). Therefore, people consider me a Ch’an master. I am also recognized as a scholar, having received a doctorate in Buddhist literature and having published scholarly works on Buddhadharma. I do not claim that my answers are ultimate truth, for no answers can express that truth. However, Ch’an is universal and transcends cultural differences across time and space. Thus, the answers to these questions were already in the West. I am confident that my answers do not contradict basic Buddhist principles.

Buddhadharma does not change, yet it can and does adapt to different cultures and periods of history.

It is just that unenlightened people attach to the way the Dharma expresses itself. It is like the fool who takes the finger pointing to the moon to be the moon itself.

Up to this point I have been speaking about Buddhism. I understand that in the United States many people believe that Ch’an (Zen) is somehow separate from Buddhism. Let me emphatically say, right now, that Ch’an is Buddhism. It is one approach to the practice of Buddhadharma. Maybe because of the directness of Ch’an, people take it to be different from Buddhism. I hope this misunderstanding has been cleared up.

These articles appeared in no apparent order in successive Ch’an Magazine issues over the years, but for purposes of organization and clarity, the editors have decided to organize them into three large categories. These categories, “Practice, ” “Philosophy and Doctrine, ” and “Social Issues, ” are the areas that the questions touch upon. Of course, some overlapping takes place. Each article is an entity unto itself, although some can be said to be related. This book need not be read straight through or in order.

I know not every subject has been addressed. At one point, we had to decide whether to put out this material. We could have waited longer, but it became apparent that we would never run out of questions. If more questions are subsequently asked, perhaps we will publish a sequel. In the mean time, I hope these articles help to answer some of my readers’ questions. I’m sure they will raise more questions. I am also sure that some will disagree with my answers. That, too, is fine. I do not wish to force the teachings of Buddhadharma on anyone.

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