Excellent choice!

[Lois]

 

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Excellent choice!
Here’s another selection of real dialogues between Zen masters (mainly from the famous classical collections 「碧巖録」Bi‑yan lu (Blue Cliff Record), 「無門関」Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate) and others).
These examples are usually very brief, stripped down to the essence — and that’s exactly what makes them precious: the masters seem to play with each other, testing and pointing beyond words.

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🌿 1. Master Xuefeng and Master Yunmen

Xuefeng: Why doesn’t a person of great awakening remain in the state of Buddha?
Yunmen: Because he is not a Buddha.

(A bold move beyond the concept of “Buddha” as a goal.)

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🌿 2. Zhaozhou and Master Tianran

Tianran: What if everything turns into emptiness?
Zhaozhou: Throw it away.
Tianran: And if I throw it away?
Zhaozhou: Then carry it again.

(Paradoxically: emptiness cannot truly be “held” or “discarded” — and that points beyond duality.)

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🌿 3. Daou and Master Changqing

Daou: What is Zen?
Changqing: I am at peace.
Daou: And if the world burns down?
Changqing: The ashes are still pure.

(Zen as a peace that does not depend on external conditions.)

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🌿 4. Linji and Master Huangbo (Linji’s teacher)

Linji: What is the essence of the Dharma?
Huangbo strikes him.
Linji: I still don’t understand!
Huangbo strikes him again.
Linji silently bows and leaves.

(Awakening comes not from understanding words, but from the direct blow that shatters intellectualizing.)

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🌿 5. Yunmen and Master Xinfeng

Xinfeng: What is Buddha?
Yunmen: Eat your rice, go wash your bowl.

(A direct pointing to simple everyday life as an expression of Buddhahood.)

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🌿 6. Huangxue and Master Daou

Huangxue: How can I see the truth?
Daou: Close your eyes.
Huangxue: And what will I see?
Daou: Who is asking?

(The question turns back to the questioner — where the truth resides.)

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🌿 7. Two unknown masters (from oral tradition)

First: Where does the cloud go?
Second: It never left.

(A hint at non-duality: phenomena neither come nor go.)

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🌿 8. Zhaozhou and Master Yunyan

Zhaozhou: What if someone comes who has no mind?
Yunyan: Let him sit in mind.
Zhaozhou: And if there is no mind?
Yunyan: Then there’s no need to sit.

(Even the idea of “mind” is cut away — so sitting itself becomes unnecessary.)

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