A Bunch of Drunks

I'll come right out and apologize for this Friday's video: most of it is in Korean and lacks any real interest. But the translation (thanks to Zen Master Dae Jin) provides a good window into Zen Master Seung Sahn's teaching.

In the video, a student asks Zen Master Seung Sahn: 

Is it true that you were Mahakasyapa in a former life?

Zen Master Seung Sahn responds:

Don't even talk about such nonesense.

That was a long long time ago. Zen means using your mind clearly from moment to moment.

So what if the Buddha appeared, if Mahakasyapa appeared, if all the patriarchs were a bunch of drunks?

Those things have nothing to do with with you or me.

The only thing that is important is for you to sit here and now, be clear, and work towards enlightenment.

Thank you for reading Ox Herding. May we all be clear together, and soon attain enlightenment!

Barry

Comments

[Suzanne]

Enlightenment might happen, but no one ever attains it.

Some of the greatest wisdom I've ever heard has been from a bunch of drunks, who say it's pointless to try and run away from anything.

[Uku]

Man, I really love Seung Sahn's teaching style and teachings! Thank you Barry for sharing these, truly wonderful!

[pete]

love it

[Joseph]

thank you! ^^

[Barry Briggs]

Thanks, Suzanne, Uku, Pete, and Joseph, for your comments!

[Alice]

Barry,

Spending my last evening here at my folks' place in LA, going through your posts. Thanks for such wonderfully heartful content, as always.

Although most of your readers probably didn't get much from all the Korean spoken on the video, it was a great treat for me to hear Zen Master Seung Sahn in his native tongue. I don't speak that well, but I understand a lot, and to be able to hear and comprehend his words directly was really cool!