Peach Blossoms (MK37)
KOAN:
a. (Entangling Vines, Case 8) Lingyun was wandering in the mountains and became lost in his walking. He rounded a bend and saw peach blossoms on the other side of the valley. This sight awakened him and he wrote this poem:
For thirty years I sought a sword master.
How many times have leaves fallen
and new buds appeared?
But from the moment I saw the peach blossoms,
I’ve had no doubts.
b. (Transmission of Light, Case 12) Later, Keizan, the Japanese teacher wrote:
The village peach blossoms didn’t know
their own pink
but still they freed Lingyun
from all his doubts.
– PZI Miscellaneous Koans, Case 37
Video
July 20, 2017
The Miraculous Right in Front of Our Eyes
David Weinstein presents at Summer Sesshin on the koan “The Miraculous Right in Front of our Eyes.”