But there are also comebacks. One I am fond of, for whenever the contemplation becomes too abstract and speculative, is given by an "added saying" of the case 8 of the #BookOfSerenity (equiv. to #GatelessGate case 2):

- Does an enlightened person fall under the law of cause and effect or not?
- "Just do good, don't ask about the road ahead."

I found this #zen quip terribly funny, and humbling.

#ZenBuddhism #KoanStudy #koans #buddhism

Another quote I found inspiring as some "answer" for #GatelessGate case 2 :

- Does an enlightened person fall under the law of cause and effect or not?
- Sakyamuni Buddha saw the morning star and was enlightened, and he said, "I, and the great earth and beings, simultaneously achieve the Way."

This one sounded relevant to me, as it highlighted how #enlightenment is not a thing that happens to an individual in particular.

#denkoroku #enlightenment #ZenBuddhism #KoanStudy #koans

For #KoanStudy and contemplation, I sometimes think about quotes that would be relevant "answers" to a given #koan question. And not necessarily from scriptures of the same tradition.

For instance, #GatelessGate case 2.

- Does an enlightened person fall under the law of cause and effect or not?
- Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more renewed existence. [SN 56.11]

#ZenBuddhism #koans #buddhism #zen

Introducing myself as a newcomer.

I have been studying then practicing #buddhism over the span of 2 decades now. I went through a #TibetanBuddhism phase, a #Theravada phase, and I found my home in #zen and more specifically #sotozen.

I am a #machinelearning geek, so I did stuff like trying to extract #matikas out of the #palicanon to support my #abhidharma study.

I now focus on #koan study / contemplation / investigation / whatever non-word applies here. In particular the #gatelessgate.