The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi

[clyde]

Earlier ( Zen Master Raven) I mentioned looking for “The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi” by Susan Moon, a lay Soto Zen teacher. She wrote it in 1988 when she had been practicing for 12 years. It’s a quirky book, but I’ve heard her teach a few times in recent years and recognize a few themes that have woven through her life and Zen in America.

The book, in addition to tale of a young female Zen student with an imaginary(?) Zen teacher, includes questions in the form of “Letters to Tofu Roshi” and his answers. Towards the end of the book this koan appears:

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

[Astus]

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

What's there to ponder about it? There is no salvation in Buddhism by consuming anyone's body.

[master of puppets]

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

What's there to ponder about it? There is no salvation in Buddhism by consuming anyone's body.

how then in movies do zen masters make many fights and nothing happens?

[Miorita]

Earlier ( Zen Master Raven) I mentioned looking for “The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi” by Susan Moon, a lay Soto Zen teacher. She wrote it in 1988 when she had been practicing for 12 years. It’s a quirky book, but I’ve heard her teach a few times in recent years and recognize a few themes that have woven through her life and Zen in America.

The book, in addition to tale of a young female Zen student with an imaginary(?) Zen teacher, includes questions in the form of “Letters to Tofu Roshi” and his answers. Towards the end of the book this koan appears:

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

Buddha? Yes.
Next time he'll fend off the annoying mosquito through many fights and the mosquito will learn a bitter lesson that bitting, kicking and screaming are not acceptable behaviours on a spiritual and enlightened being.

[DNS]

Towards the end of the book this koan appears:

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

Not a koan-like answer, but a potential answer from doctrine is:

No, the mosquito has committed an Anantarika-karma:

Shedding the blood of a Buddha.
Anyone who commits an anantarika-karma will go to hell. The five different actions which each constitute an anantarika-karma are the only actions which can produce a definite result.

But I presume the doctrine is referring to humans, not animals, so perhaps not an anantarika-karma.

[Miorita]

Towards the end of the book this koan appears:

“. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Something to ponder.

Not a koan-like answer, but a potential answer from doctrine is:

No, the mosquito has committed an Anantarika-karma:

Shedding the blood of a Buddha.
Anyone who commits an anantarika-karma will go to hell. The five different actions which each constitute an anantarika-karma are the only actions which can produce a definite result.

But I presume the doctrine is referring to humans, not animals, so perhaps not an anantarika-karma.

You cannot pass through an intersection using someone else's caution. You have to ensure your own safe passage.

[seeker242]

Something else to ponder: If Buddha doesn't make Buddha, then how can Buddha be bit by mosquito to begin with?

[clyde]

Here’s the ‘complete’ koan as presented:

. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Bush Wak frowned and scratched his left ankle.

Suddenly No Bun slapped his forehead.

Commentary by Za Phu: Thus No Bun attained enlightenment and killed a mosquito at the same time.

[KeithA]

Here’s the ‘complete’ koan as presented:

. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Bush Wak frowned and scratched his left ankle.

Suddenly No Bun slapped his forehead.

Commentary by Za Phu: Thus No Bun attained enlightenment and killed a mosquito at the same time.

No Bun missed it.

[Miorita]

Here’s the ‘complete’ koan as presented:

. . . consider the koan called “The Sound of One Hand Scratching.” No Bun once asked Bush Wak, “If a mosquito bites Buddha, will it become enlightened?”

Bush Wak frowned and scratched his left ankle.

Suddenly No Bun slapped his forehead.

Commentary by Za Phu: Thus No Bun attained enlightenment and killed a mosquito at the same time.

No Bun missed it.

Bun didn't miss it because Bush Wak wacked it. And thus Bun was enlightened.
No Bun slapped his forehead because No Bun wanted to take on the karma of Bush Wak to allow him to be enlightened.
Therefore, for outside appearances he had to make sure that the mosquito is authentically dead.
If Bush Wak does not think of mosquitoes, maybe he is enlightened.
If No Bun was the killer of a thought that did not belong to him, it's truly difficult to see the damages an ordinary mosquito has as a result of this meditation. No Bun is not enlightened. Therefore there is a Bun that is enlightened.

So yeah, " No Bun missed it. ".

[master of puppets]

I think the question here is "is there an enlightened thought?"

my answer is if your mind is empty and empty of thought you can find the enlightened thought(s).

that's the way it goes. as generally known it is not that we think but it thinks.

what is it? another question.

"enlightenment"?

what is enlightenment?

perfect balance??

eh..

[master of puppets]

I think the answer of the "koan" is just a simple smile.

furthermore , ı think all koans' answer is just a "smile".

[narhwal90]

I think if you engage with a zen teacher you will find that is not the case.

[master of puppets]

I have (a) three master power.