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)

Audio August 11, 2022

Summer Sesshin: Shitou’s Teachers

David Weinstein

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.

38' 51"
Audio July 19, 2021

A Blue Cliff Record Journey of Not Picking & Choosing

John Tarrant

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.

48' 31"