Little Knowledge is Dangerous

Nothing Exists

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. One day, he called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said, "The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be recieved."
Dokuon who was smoking quietly said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe.
This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"

Source: Bhutan Observer, 14th Dec .


My Critical Analysis & Reflection:

1. Learning the philosophy alone does not make one wise & learned.

The young monk had learned everything including the primordial truth & the highest level of  Buddhist philosophy, the Emptiness.  But, he lacks the basic practice & realization like controlling his anger, desire, ignorance, ego, envy, etc.

Where is his realization?
Where is his transformation?
What is the change in his attitude?

Ans: Such practitioners of religion is sheer hypocrisy, pretending what one is not.
If one is the beginner of pursuing religious practice; for Buddha's sake, do not express your "ego" in any form.