喝と達磨さん―公案散歩
A koan is a riddle of sorts, put to a student of Zen by his master. There
are many ways to tackle these problems, so I will show you some stories
about the use of KATSU, also written KWATS 喝, as a means to help wake
up the sleeping mind.
公案は禅師から弟子に与える問題ですが答えはいくら考えてもできない。解決が見つかるまで老師が弟子を打ったり喝をどなったりもします。この話では私は喝についての問答を紹介します。
For the practical study of Zen, you must pass the barriers set up by
the masters of Zen. The attainment of this mysterious illumination means
cutting off the workings of the ordinary mind completely. If you have
not done this and passed the barrier, you are a phantom among the undergrowth
and weeds. Now what is this barrier? It is simply "Mu", the Barrier of
the Gate of Zen and this is why it is called "The Gateless Barrier of
the Zen Sect."
http://www.ubu.com/contemp/elgar/mukoan.htm
The following illustration shows the Chinese character MU 無, written
with many small MU to make one big MU. MU is maybe the most wellknown
koan.
無と言う考案は多分一番よく知られている考案です。無と言う小さい漢字を使いながら、無と言う大きな無を書きました。
MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU
MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU
Master Mumon 無門禅師
Mumon was born in 1183, towards the end of the Sung Dynasty, 960-1279.
He went to see Getsurin, the seventh successor of Yogi, at Manjuji Temple.
Getsurin, who was famous for his severity, gave him the koan of Mu to
study. After six years, Mumon had still not solved his problem.....(text
cut)
The next day, when Mumon went to his interview with Getsurin, he wanted
to tell him about his vision, but Getsurin asked him, "Where did you see
the god? Where did you see the Devil?" Mumon said "Kwatz!" Getsurin said
"Kwatz!" and they kwatzed each other, ad infinitum, more or less.....
Please read the full story here:
http://www.ubu.com/contemp/elgar/elgar1.html
Mind is Buddha
This is a famous story about a KATSU that even shocked the great warlord
Oda Nobunaga.
"Mind is Buddha" is the phrase for one who wants medicine while
he has no disease. "No Mind, No Buddha" is given to those who have been
cured of disease but still cling to medicine. A monk asked Baso, "Why
do you teach that Mind is Buddha?" Baso replied, "To stop a
baby's crying." The monk asked, " What is it like when the baby
stops crying?" Baso answered, "No Mind, no Buddha."
In connection with "Mind is Buddha,"there is an interesting story
in Nanbanji Kohai-ki (History of Nanbanji):
In the 16th century, a great religious debate was held at Nanbanji between
Buddhists and a Portugese Catholic Father who was much favored by Oda
Nobunaga, an influential feudal lord of that time. The Portugese Priest
was a man of wide erudition and was familiar with the Buddhist Sutras.
Representatives of various Buddhist schools were all debated down by his
eloquence. Finally Zen Master In of Nanzenji in Kyoto was selected as
the last debater. The Portugese Priest asked, "What is Buddha?" "Mind
is Buddha" answered Master In. The Portugese Father now unsheathed
a dagger, thrust it at Master In's chest, and demanded, "What is 'Mind
is Buddha'?" Master In, not perturbed in the least, shouted: "KWATZ!"
The Portugese Priest fell into a swoon in spite of himself and the audience
including Lord Nobunaga, all paled.
― from Zenkei Shibayama, Zen Comments on the Mumonkan (1974), p. 225
http://www.wisdomportal.com/Enlightenment/ZenMasterIn.html
Calligraphy by Nantenbo (1839 - 1925)
KATSU and therapeutic hitting by Rinzai Zenji
The master would not hesitate to strike the disciple physically to resolve
the koan. Such resolution once had the monk slapping the master, Obaku,
and yelling: "There is not, after all, much in the Buddhism of Obaku."
Rinzai explains this idea of 'therapeutic hitting': "Many students are
not free from the entanglement of objective things. I treat them right
at the spot. If their trouble is due to grasping hands, I strike them
there. If their trouble comes from their mouths, it is there I strike."
Rinzai was also famous for shouting Katsu!, a nonsensical
word, as an answer to koans.
http://www.lifepositive.com/Mind/arts/new-age-fiction/koan.asp
A Modern MU interpretation
The correct answer to the classic trick question "Have you stopped beating
your wife yet?". Assuming that you have no wife or you have never beaten
your wife, the answer "yes" is wrong because it implies that you used
to beat your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse because it suggests
that you have one and are still beating her. According to various Discordians
and Douglas Hofstadter the correct answer is usually "MU", a Japanese
word alleged to mean "Your question cannot be answered because it depends
on incorrect assumptions".
http://www.sra.co.jp/people/katsu/doc/jargon/mu.html
Nakamaura sensei is probably the best-known scholar of Buddhism.
The Non-Logical Character of Zen: By Hajime
Nakamura
http://pears2.lib.ohio-state.edu/FULLTEXT/JR-JOCP/jc26600.htm
Talking about Nakamura sensei, here is one more book I would like to
introduce, if you are seriously interested in the comparative studies
of Buddhism and its development in various Asian countries.
Nakamura, Hajime:
The Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples
You can get it at this secondhand bookstore.
Master Gempo and the Silent Kwats
On this HP you can meet the wonderful Master Gempo and his way to live
KATSU.
Please take the time and read the full article about Gempo Roshi. I am
sure you will find something new and refreshing for your daily zazen practise.
"I often read from the Rinzai Roku and many of you may think, "What
is the significance of all those Kwatz?" A Kwatz is not necessarily a
shout. There are silent Kwatz, smiling Kwatz, drinking Kwatz. Gempo Roshi
was a master of all these. "
http://www.daibosatsu.org/f01gempo.html
To Kwats or not to Kwats!
A master demanded of his disciple:"Show me the Ultimate!" "KWATZ!" responded
the disciple. The master shook his head. "KWATZ!!!" the disciple tried
again. The master replied, "Even if you Kwatz! for countless eons, you
still won't get IT!"
http://www.zen-forum.com/ForumE/showthread.php3?threadid=359
A modern version of the Chinese character KATSU.
http://www.takase.com/Kanji/Kanji.htm
Checking about KATSU I also ended up in some restaurants called Daruma
selling cutlet (pronounced "katsu" in Japanese).
“かつ”と“だるま”を調べたら、達磨屋のレストランやとんかつ屋さんもよく見つけました。
http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~kuzenisi/daruma.htm
http://www.folioweekly.com/DiningGuide/By%20Cuisine/japanese.html
http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/rest/oja.htm
http://gr10.yahoo.co.jp/gourmet/restaurant/Kinki/Osaka/guide/0111/WV-KANSA-5RATZ001.html
http://www.tcp-ip.or.jp/~chobi/s-g/Nnagoya2.htm
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/daruma5725/info.html
http://www.koganet.ne.jp/~darumaya/index.htm
(Daruma Sake)
The sound of KATSU can be written with other Chinese characters too. Here
is one more KATSU 勝, meaning to WIN, which we have found on the belly
of Daruma dolls too. This store sells merchandise to Win.
Katsu Coaster
When Daruma san is in the KATSU mode, as we might put it in modern speach,
he stretches out his right arm, fist clenched holding his rosary, which
is falling back on the arm with the force of the movement. The beard sometimes
too seems to be standing on edge and the facial expression is full attention.
Here is one you can find more details about in the Internet.
A large and very imposing Japanese lacquered hardwood carving of the seated
Daruma with his clenched fist outstretched to repel demons. The body and
head are carved as one, the outstretched arm is carved separately and
attached to the main carving. The surface of the piece is covered with
a lacquer finish. The effect is extremely strong, lively, and full of
character. This is an unusual piece, both in its subject matter and its
size, measuring approx. 12 inches tall and 12 inches deep. Condition over
all is good; the piece dates from the early Taisho period, circa 1920.
大正時代の喝だるまです。インタネットで見つけました。
http://www.fareastasianart.com/stores/okinasan/items/58753/item58753fareastasianart.html
There is also a clay bell with a KATSU Daruma with outstretched fist.
栃木県は佐野市に住む相沢一太郎翁の土鈴だるまです。「喝」まだお元気かな？
Now let us look at some Daruma of this kind in my collection. This is
a small one of 13 cm with outstreached arm and lively beard.
私のコレクションのだるまも紹介します。 小さくても力いっぱいに腕を出します。数珠はまだ飛んでいるように感じます。
This one shows the same features. It was carved in Bali. This figure
is 20 cm high and made of nicely polished teak wood.
このだるまさんはばバリ島で作られていますが、日本向けです。
We have already explored the KATSU Daruma
of the Konpira area.
金毘羅さんのだるまはすでに紹介しました。
Check out the Electronic Bodhidaruma at the Hanazono University to find
out more about Zen.
花園大学の禅学研究所です。英語と日本語があります。
http://www.iijnet.or.jp/iriz/
And check this HP for more books about koans, like The Blue Cliff Records
and the Mumonkan.
http://www.zencenter.org/bookstore/koan.htm
Let us have some fun before parting. My very own story about KATSU needs
a German-English speaking person with a computer and a pet.
私のカツ話にはドイツ語、英語を話せコンピュータを使い、そしてペットを飼う人間にしかわからないかも…
"What does it take to enlighten a mouse? A good KATZ!"
gokuraku@po.harenet.ne.jp
