the book of tea(茶书)-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
is in us that God meets with Nature； and yesterday parts from to…morrow。
The Present is the moving Infinity； the legitimate sphere of the Relative。
Relativity seeks Adjustment； Adjustment is Art。 The art of life lies in a
constant readjustment to our surroundings。 Taoism accepts the mundane
as it is and； unlike the Confucians or the Buddhists； tries to find beauty in
our world of woe and worry。 The Sung allegory of the Three Vinegar
Tasters explains admirably the trend of the three doctrines。 Sakyamuni；
Confucius； and Laotse once stood before a jar of vinegarthe emblem of
lifeand each dipped in his finger to taste the brew。 The matter…of…fact
18
… Page 19…
The Book of Tea
Confucius found it sour； the Buddha called it bitter； and Laotse
pronounced it sweet。
The Taoists claimed that the comedy of life could be made more
interesting if everyone would preserve the unities。 To keep the
proportion of things and give place to others without losing one's own
position was the secret of success in the mundane drama。 We must know
the whole play in order to properly act our parts； the conception of
totality must never be lost in that of the individual。 This Laotse
illustrates by his favourite metaphor of the Vacuum。 He claimed that
only in vacuum lay the truly essential。 The reality of a room； for instance；
was to be found in the vacant space enclosed by the roof and the walls； not
in the roof and walls themselves。 The usefulness of a water pitcher dwelt
in the emptiness where water might be put； not in the form of the pitcher
or the material of which it was made。 Vacuum is all potent because all
containing。 In vacuum alone motion becomes possible。 One who could
make of himself a vacuum into which others might freely enter would
become master of all situations。 The whole can always dominate the
part。
These Taoists' ideas have greatly influenced all our theories of action；
even to those of fencing and wrestling。 Jiu…jitsu； the Japanese art of self…
defence； owes its name to a passage in the Tao…teking。 In jiu…jitsu one
seeks to draw out and exhaust the enemy's strength by non…resistance；
vacuum； while conserving one's own strength for victory in the final
struggle。 In art the importance of the same principle is illustrated by
the value of suggestion。 In leaving something unsaid the beholder is
given a chance to complete the idea and thus a great masterpiece
irresistably rivets your attention until you seem to become actually a part
of it。 A vacuum is there for you to enter and fill up the full measure of
your aesthetic emotion。
He whohad made himself master of the art of living was the Real man
of the Taoist。 At birth he enters the realm of dreams only to awaken to
reality at death。 He tempers his own brightness in order to merge
himself into the obscurity of others。 He is 〃reluctant； as one who crosses
a stream in winter； hesitating as one who fears the neighbourhood；
19
… Page 20…
The Book of Tea
respectful； like a guest； trembling； like ice that is about to melt；
unassuming； like a piece of wood not yet carved； vacant； like a valley；
formless； like troubled waters。〃 To him the three jewls of life were Pity；
Economy； and Modesty。
If now we turn our attention to Zennism we shall find that it
emphasises the teachings of Taoism。 Zen is a name derived from the
Sanscrit word Dhyana； which signifies meditation。 It claims that through
consecrated meditation may be attained supreme self…realisation。
Meditation is one of the six ways through which Buddhahood may be
reached； and the Zen sectarians affirm that Sakyamuni laid special stress
on this method in his later teachings； handing down the rules to his chief
disciple Kashiapa。 According to their tradition Kashiapa； the first Zen
patriarch； imparted the secret to Ananda； who in turn passed it on to
successive patriarchs until it reached Bodhi…Dharma； the twenty…eighth。
Bodhi…Dharma came to Northern China in the early half of the sixth
century and was the first patriarch of Chinese Zen。 There is much
uncertainty about the history of these patriarchs and their doctrines。 In
its philosophical aspect early Zennism seems to have affinity on one hand
to the Indian Negativism of Nagarjuna and on the other to the Gnan
philosophy formulated by Sancharacharya。 The first teaching of Zen as we
know it at the present day must be attributed to the sixth Chinese patriarch
Yeno（637…713）； founder of Southern Zen； so…called from the fact of its
predominance in Southern China。 He is closely followed by the great
Baso（died 788） who made of Zen a living influence in Celestial life。
Hiakujo（719…814） the pupil of Baso； first instituted the Zen monastery and
established a ritual and regulations for its government。 In the discussions
of the Zen school after the time of Baso we find the play of the Yangtse…
Kiang mind causing an accession of native modes of thought in contrast to
the former Indian idealism。 Whatever sectarian pride may assert to the
contrary one cannot help being impressed by the similarity of Southern
Zen to the teachings of Laotse and the Taoist Conversationalists。 In the
Tao…teking we already find allusions to the importance of self…
concentration and the need of properly regulating the breathessential
points in the practice of Zen meditation。 Some of the best commentaries
20
… Page 21…
The Book of Tea
on the Book of Laotse have been written by Zen scholars。
Zennism； like Taoism； is the worship of Relativity。 One master
defines Zen as the art of feeling the polar star in the southern sky。 Truth
can be reached only through the comprehension of opposites。 Again；
Zennism； like Taoism； is a strong advocate of individualism。 Nothing is
real except that which concerns the working of our own minds。 Yeno； the
sixth patriarch； once saw two monks watching the flag of a pagoda
fluttering in the wind。 One said 〃It is the wind that moves；〃 the other
said 〃It is the flag that moves〃； but Yeno explained to them that the real
movement was neither of the wind nor the flag； but of something within
their own minds。 Hiakujo was walking in the forest with a disciple when
a hare scurried off at their approach。 〃Why does the hare fly from you？〃
asked Hiakujo。 〃Because he is afraid of me；〃 was the answer。 〃
