PZI Teacher Archives
Zhaozhou Can't Explain (BCR 58)
KOAN:
A student asked Zhaozhou, “You always say, ‘The greatest way is not difficult if you don’t pick and choose.’ Hasn’t this become a cliché?”
Zhaozhou said, “You’re not the first person to ask me that. The truth is that I haven’t been able to avoid saying it that way.”
Yuanwu comments, “Zhaozhou didn’t use shouts the way some people did.”
—Blue Cliff Record Case 58 (transl. John Tarrant & Joan Sutherland,
titled: Zhaozhou Can Only Say It That Way)
Summer Sesshin: Shitou’s Teachers
David tells the story of Jiashan’s awakening, after being sent by Daowu to find the Boat Monk. David also guides a revealing exercise in picking and choosing. Complete talk given in Summer Sesshin, June 16, 2022. 37 minutes.
A Blue Cliff Record Journey of Not Picking & Choosing
You are a stowaway in a wild koan journey of picking & choosing, told by John Tarrant. He recounts the adventures, awakenings and conversations of the great teachers that were gathered at the Blue Cliff with Yuanwu.