Seung Sahn: You Can, You Can. You Cannot, You Cannot.

You probably have the experience of feeling a deep connection with certain teaching words, while others may seem less resonant or meaningful. I certainly have that experience.

Of all of Zen Master Seung Sahn's teaching phrases, the one that feels most alive to me is:

You can, you can. You cannot, you cannot.

I remember the first time I heard this phrase. A group of us were racing to prepare the grounds of Providence Zen Center for the Kwan Um School's 20th Anniversary celebration (in 1992). Rain was flooding the grounds but we rolled out sod around the new pagoda, planted shrubs and raked autumn leaves.

The day before the ceremony, Zen Master Seung Sahn came outside and stood in the rain to watch us. As his clothes became soaked, he turned his palms up to the sky and said, "Ah, wonderful!" And then went back inside.

I was a newbie and, later, asked a monk about this: "Why did the master think that the rain and mud was wonderful?"

And that's when I first heard, You can, you can. You cannot, you cannot.

Although I never heard Zen Master Seung Sahn put it this way, this particular teaching phrase seems to encapsulate the entire Avatamsaka Sutra, which says:

If you want to understand all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, then you should view the whole universe as being created by mind alone.

We create our world and its possibilities and impossibilities. If we take responsibility for this creation, we can accomplish more than we ever might imagine. We might even wake up!

On that rainy day 18 years ago, those of us working outside could. And we did. The grounds looked wonderful.

Dae Soen Sa Nim would also encourage us to:

Just do it!*

Just do it! was perhaps his shorthand version of You can, you can. You cannot, you cannot. It points to the importance of setting aside our ideas, opinions, and beliefs and confronting what's right in front of us.

If we believe in ourselves 100%, then it gets done.

And it's wonderful.

* Dae Soen Sa Nim's usage of "just do it" precedes the Nike advertising slogan by about 10 years. Nike first introduced the slogan in 1984. Perhaps they followed Dae Soen Sa Nim's lead!

Comments

[jill i]

This is a great way to start the work week....just do it!

[Genju]

O My Gosh! I love that picture! Imagining it as a huge poster in my office! I'd never miss another gym date! Or morning zazen! In fact, I think I'll just go sit now!

[J]

Very helpful! Thank you!