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公案3 : 庭前柏樹子
僧問趙州：「如何是祖師西來意[1]？」
師曰：「庭前柏樹子。」
僧曰：「和尚莫將境示人？ 」
師曰：「我不將境示人。」
僧曰：「如何是祖師西來意？」
師曰：「庭前柏樹子。」
[1] “祖師西來意”指達摩西渡中原，是公案中常見的主題。在禪宗剛在中國紮根時，很多早期的佛教徒常疑惑於達摩祖師所提之禪那用意何在？趙州禪師的庭前柏樹子，就是其中最被廣為引用的公案，因為其多用日常事物做題點，易用易記。其略帶詼諧的問答也常被人樂道。
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Case #3 : The Arborvitae tree in the courtyard
A Buddhist monk asked a Zen master : “Why Grand Master Bodhidharma[1] came to China?”
Zen master answered : “To see the Arborvitae tree in the courtyard[2].”
Buddhist monk : “Master, Do NOT give me a superficial answer.”
Zen master : “I do not give you a superficial answer.”
Buddhist monk : “Then what was Grand Master Bodhidharma’s real intention?”
Zen master : “To see the Arborvitae tree in the courtyard.[3]”
[1] Grand Master Bodhidharma was the first Zen master who brought Dhyana and Zen from India to China. Since India is in the south-west of China, traditionally the sentence, “Grand Master’s intention in coming from the west (祖師西來意 in Chinese)” is used to refer this event, and represent a general question about the true meaning of Zen. For the purpose of understanding, I do not translate this literally.
[2] Arborvitae trees are a kind of evergreen tree. They are widely grown in the courtyards of Buddhist temples due to their longevity and unchanging nature. This answer - “The Arborvitae Tree in The Courtyard (庭前柏樹子 in Chinese)” is famous in Zen Buddhist. Not because of its meaning, but it’s a representation of Zen philosophy. Words themselves are superficial, and the true meanings are often transcending words. Even the questions and answers themselves are not what they appear to be.
[3] Do you know why Zen master Chao-Chou (趙州 in Chinese) responded with the same answer as before? If you do, then you do. It has nothing to do with the tree, (or does it?) and it’s absolutely not superficial (or is it?). These kinds of conflicted and often seems nonsense answers were used frequently in Zen teachings, and they are key to shock the audiences in order to bring about the awakening and the enlightenment - Buddhahood.
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