Zen Buddhism final 1
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ASIAN 161: “Mock Kōan” Project Due Date: December 8, by 7:00pm PDT
(45 Points, 15%) Assignment description and purpose: Kōan literature shows us that, for Chan/Zen Buddhists, capturing a moment of profound understanding can be a difficult process. Likewise, engaging such literature from outside of the tradition and as a distant reader can make kōans equally difficult to understand. Ultimately, kōans point directly to the gap between direct experience and its mere representation by demanding that the reader evokes a qualitatively similar experience through study of the kōan and through introspection.
The purpose of this assignment is to engage Zen literature in at least two interactive ways: 1) by paying close attention, through reading and writing, to the form and function of a literature meant to impress upon (or disrupt in) its reader or hearer a specific state and 2) by embodying some of this attention through the composition of a “mock kōan” tied to a specific experience of transmitted understanding. Basic Guidelines: Begin this assignment early by identifying a singular moment or experience of understanding with another individual. This individual could be a teacher, parent, community religious leader, or another person with whom you have had a formative interaction. The moment or experience ought to have been formative insofar as it made a profound impression on you and/or changed the way you think about something in your life from that moment forward. Note that this interaction need not be profound, nor need it be religious. Even meaningful moments of learning—at school, from a parent, at work, while practicing a sport—can present themselves in mundane and seemingly meaningless interactions. In fact, these are often the moments we remember as most formative since they present themselves spontaneously and without much notice outside of your own pointed attention. The purpose and challenge of this exercise is to capture both the profundity of an interaction and the way in which that moment of transmitted understanding unfolded for you as the receiver.
Once you have identified an interaction as described above, flip through The Blue Cliff Record to get a sense of how experience is captured. What style comes through for you? What effect does the overly referential or cagey language have on you as a reader? Notice that even cryptic language goes unexplained, and yet there also seems to be some loose connection there, perhaps known only to the compiler or a small readership. These are the characteristics we will seek to emulate.
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Then, think about how you might describe your interaction in writing. What is the context for the interaction? Who was there? When and where did it take place? What dialogue or physical interaction led up to the moment of exchange? And what was your experience at that moment? What was the experience immediately following? What was the effect thereafter? In your description, do your best to capture the style of kōan literature.
As you draft your mock kōan, keep sentences short and punchy, write in third-person, do not be afraid of repetition, do not be afraid of exclamation, do not be afraid of humor, do not be afraid of creative syntax or wordplay. In your “case” section especially, do not be afraid of confusing or confounding the reader; half of the fun of kōans is trying to decipher them along with the help of the other supportive sections. If you need to embellish or invent, please do so sensibly, as the point is to capture the reality of a moment in a style evocative of kōan literature. Be sure to follow the section guidelines below carefully. Criteria of Assessment: The form of this composition will follow the general form of The Blue Cliff Record (examples provided). This presents a cognitive challenge in the sense that you will serve in a self- commentarial role, especially in your composition of the capping phrase and, to a lesser degree, the self-reflection. You will need to detach yourself from your experience in order to effectively give shape to this document in a way that captures the momentum and cadence of kōan that we’ve seen in this class. Thus, do your best to assume the role of an objective commentator. Also know that, just as in the case of the genre across East Asia, there are many approaches and structures to each of the following sections but use the below as a guide. This assignment will be scored in three general areas: 1) Cohesion (i.e. Do each of the sections cohere in a way that emulates the form of kōans and their major components? Do they borrow language from one another for the sake of cohesion? Does the entire document feel unified? Do areas feel or sound “tacked on” or shoehorned into the document? Does the self- reflection engage specific areas of your kōan?), 2) Creativity (i.e. Did you thoughtfully consider the characteristics of kōan literature and think creatively about how to emulate them through your own experience? How creative were you in adapting your experience to meet the requirements of the assignment?), and 3) Connections to the course (i.e. How does your self- reflection on the process relate to the issues of narrative power, religious writing, or direct experience, etc as they have emerged in the course? To what degree have you explored the implications of this assignment in light of the course themes?). Please take this assignment seriously but also know that it is meant to be fun alternative to traditional assignments otherwise required for this class or in other classes. As
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your projects develop, please try to meet with meet atleast once to discuss progress and/or receive guidance. Template for Required Eight Sections: Kōan Title Try to give a title that frames the basic premise of the kōan or, alternatively, one that hints at the “solution” to the kōan. Here, as is in the case with most kōan we have seen in this course, you’ll want to be somewhat broad. Pointer (C: chuíshì 垂⽰; J: suiji): This gives a basic introduction to the interaction. It begins the kōan with the “answer” in vague terms, or the a broad and basic explanation of the meaning of the exchange. The pointer is often confounding since it precedes the other supportive sections, so it can—and should—come off a bit cryptically. Note that while the pointer provides a short overview, the capping phrase (see below) provides a more detailed explanation, usually line-line-line. Case (C: gōng'àn 公案; J: kōan): This is the actual kōan. Remember to keep it short and punchy and know that greater context and explanation will be provided elsewhere. Less is usually more, here! Notes: Insert at least three footnotes in your kōan. These can provide greater context, amusing commentary, or can further confound the reader. Verse: Compose at least two poetic verses (in any format) that captures and utilizes some of the language from your kōan. I realize you are all not poets (neither am I!) but try to confine yourself here with sparing language. Commentary on Verse: This is a brief re-articulation of the verse form. Again here, much of the same language can be used, but also expanded upon through prose. Capping Phrase: (C: zhuóyǔ著語; J: jakugo): This is a fairly detailed explanation, usually line by line, and supplemented with analogous examples that gives the clearest meaning behind the kōan, without, of course, explaining it fully. Griffith Foulk refers to these capping phrases in his “Form and Function” chapter as “interlinear comments” because they are staggered interpretations of each line.
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Self-Reflection (not officially part of the kōan, but part of this assignment): Here, in about one (1) single-spaced page, I’d like you to engage in a meta-level reflection on the process of putting this assignment together. The purpose of this section is to allow you space to express some of the challenges and creative solutions that emerged during this assignment for you. Additionally, it is meant to allow you space to 1) reflect on the process of capturing experience in written form, and 2) to connect some of these ideas to the broader themes of the course.
Some questions to help prompt your reflection might be, but are not limited to: What were some of the general challenges of this assignment? How did you overcome those challenges? What was it like attempting to capture a moment of spontaneous understanding in writing? What were you unable to capture here and why? In what ways does this exercise connect with some of the broader themes of the course (e.g. transmissions of knowledge or understanding, master-disciple relationships, the problem of language, the gulf between experience and text, the writing process as experiential itself, and so forth)?
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[My own example!]
Kōan Case 37
Scholar Matthew Lowers His Shoulders Pointer Academia eats its young. There is no ivory tower. Scholars know less than their students and are worse at pretending otherwise. The learned run around in search of ways of better posturing before the next, and each fumble to outdo the other. The world outside turns and scholars are busy fighting among each other for recognition. They display their honors like plumage, unaware that the color is no brighter than the rest. If one sees only the value in recognition, what value do they have for the rest? To test, I cite this: look! Case Scholar Matthew arrived at Oregon to meet Master Mark. Matthew asked, “What does it mean to study? What does it mean to teach?” Master Mark replied: “To study is to investigate. To teach is to shine a light onto the investigation. To teach you must use the light, but you are not the light.”1 Scholar Matthew asked: “What does it mean to shine a light?” Master Mark replied: “To shine a light means to point the way, and to lead, but to always remember that you did not create the light.”2 Scholar Matthew asked: “What does it mean to forget that one has not created the light?” Master Mark answered: “To forget that one has not created the light means that one thinks they contain all knowledge, and that they know more than the rest. And that this thought drives all manner of scholarly relationships forward. Scholars like this will step on others in order to continue thinking this way.”
1 What a pity! Explaining the meaning of study to one so eager to know! The young scholar should go back where he came from and take up a more familiar path. 2 This phrase is often misunderstood. What does light have to do with it? All the world is lit, and scholars constantly try to keep away the shadow. What for? To clear the way for insight among the learned. But lighting the world is a mere device.
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Scholar Matthew replied: “What does it mean that scholars like this will step on others in order to continue thinking this way?”3
Master Mark replied: “Do academics, do not become academics. Lower your shoulders and you’ll fit through the entryway.” Verse
An aspiring scholar Matthew visits his teacher in order to follow To follow is to lead And to lead is to shine a light
Scholars of the day see themselves as the sun Unable to separate themselves from it; To shine truly is to separate oneself
Commentary on verse:
An aspiring scholar Matthew visits his teacher in order to follow To follow is to lead And to lead is to shine a light
The young scholar Matthew seeks to follow the master. His youth and uncertainty deform the path before him. Master Mark provides a view. The light is shone and is separate from the teacher. The teacher illuminates by holding up the light.
Scholars of the day see themselves as the sun Unable to separate themselves To shine truly is to separate oneself
And yet, sun-masters abound, unable to distinguish themselves from their illumination. They wield the brightness as their own. The brightest tend to be the faintest. Capping Phrase: Scholar Matthew arrived at Oregon to meet Master Mark. Matthew asked, “What does it mean to study? What does it mean to teach?”
3 Each scholar believes they are ever brighter than the last. This confounds if one looks in from outside. But from within the academy, one sees that those with the brightest light tend also to vouch for their creation of it. They see no difference between them and their devices. And while they use their device to illuminate the path of the learned, they also shine it in the eyes of their fellows.
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Master Mark replied: “To study is to investigate. To teach is to shine a light onto the investigation.” He seeks to know and seeks to follow in order. In order to understand how to know and how to follow, he inquires with the Master. They sit in the Master’s quarters, the Master on the high seat. The Master makes clear the endeavor to know and how a teacher is an illuminative guide to knowing.
Scholar Matthew asked: “What does it mean to shine a light?” Master Mark replied: “To shine a light means to point the way, and to lead, but to always
remember that you did not invent the light.” There is confusion and doubt. This one has not yet cleared the way! The one on the lower seat asks about the guidance and where to put it. What a pity not to know that the light is a tool! The Master replies and blinds the one on the lower seat by beseeching him to remember that light is not made or owned by the one using it as a tool!
Scholar Matthew asked: “What does it mean to forget that one has not invented the light?” Master Mark answered: “To forget that one has not invented the light means that one thinks they
contain all knowledge, and that they know more than the rest. And that this thought drives all manner of relationships forward. Scholars like this will step on others to continue thinking this way.” A pity again! The one on the lower seat does not yet know of those who primp and posture! The Master on the high seat explains here, look! To know of something is not to know of all things. And to shine a light in a dark place is to wield only one tool among many. Those in high places will want to remain aloft and will claim a self-same radiance that is actually outside of them. All the while, they’ll step on the heads of the equally radiant. Scholar Matthew replied: “What does it mean that scholars like this will step on others to continue thinking this way?”
Master Mark replied: “Do academics, do not become academics.” Here the Master in the high seat delivers his blow! Witness! The one in the lower seat continues to push. The Master steps aside to show the way. Following in order means to break the order. ---
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Self-Reflection This assignment was difficult! There were three aspects that made things difficult for me. The first was thinking about an initial learning experience that provided the core component to this kōan. I was able to identify a few possible moments that I wanted to use to construct this kōan, but I chose the one above because it was a dialogue between myself and another person, which seemed like the easiest way to approach an assignment like this. While I couldn’t remember every single detail of the conversation, I was able to remember enough to piece it together. Once I realized that the most important part of the scenario was the actual teaching transmitted at the end of the conversation, it became a matter of filling in the other areas to get myself there. The second point of difficulty was emulating the style and tone of several other kōans we’ve read in class. I used several examples from The Blue Cliff Record as models and went out of my way to capture some of the style I saw in those models. While it was strange to transform the language to fit, I think it helped to disguise the meaning or possible interpretation of my kōan. When I go back and read this myself, there are some parts where I ask myself, “What do I mean by this?” Even though I’m not completely sure, I don’t think it matters because much of this is meant to capture personal experience unknown to anyone else. In this way, the difficulty of capturing the tone and style of real kōans helped me to better simulate my mock kōan. Finally, I found the verse and verse commentaries the most difficult of all the parts. I do not have any experience with poetic writing, so I leaned on the models in The Blue Cliff Record and tried to pay attention to the simplicity and startling imagery that is used in the verses in those models. I kept it confined to two verses since my kōan is a fairly simply back-and-forth conversation, so I didn’t want to expand too heavily by way of the verses for fear of giving too much away. And while I felt like the verse commentary was generally repeating some of the same themes and motifs in the kōan itself and in the pointer, it generally felt like a necessary part of the entire document. After I finished the assignment, I gave the entire mock kōan document to my spouse and asked what she thought it meant. After her first read-through, she said she thought it was about the cut-throat competition of the academic job market. At first, I was confused as to how she could come to this conclusion since I don’t mention jobs anywhere, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the way the kōan is structured makes it seem like it might be about the competitive nature of academia generally. Her reaction was more provocative for me than I thought because I began to consider issues of interpretation and individual experience in kōan literature. That is, my spouse was not necessarily wrong. I did not intend
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for my kōan to be specifically about job market competition, but the general cut-throat nature of academia is absolutely at play somewhere in my kōan, no matter how unintentionally.
In this course, we’ve talked about the tension between individual experience in kōan literature, on the one hand, and the importance of a unified and standardized use of kōans in the Zen tradition on the other. In Zen, kōans capture a single, individualized moment, and yet the experience of awakening is generally the “same” across the board; one patriarch’s awakening is not qualitatively different than another and, in some cases, there are standards for provoking a disciple toward that awakening. Through commentaries added later, the texts themselves did not remain static. They changed over the centuries through added commentaries and new interpretations to the cases. And, of course, these cases were interpreted differently by different users. In many ways, while awakening is the same across the board for Zen Buddhists, the practice leading up to that moment and the textualization of that moment thereafter were completely open to individual experience and interpretation.
In thinking back to the way my kōan was interpreted by my spouse, this seems to fall right in line with the way that individual experience and its textualization played out for Zen Buddhists centuries ago. The experience was singularly mine, but the way I elected to textualize, organize, and structure my experience opened it up for interpretation. If anything, this reflects at least one way that a narrative can grow and change depending on how it is organized in writing.