Zen Master Wu Bong

[Fabio]

This thread is dedicated to Zen Master Wu Bong (1950.2013), who was a Soen Sa Nim in the Kwan Um School of Zen and the first American student of Seung Sahn Soen Sa Nim. Welcome to everyboy!

Zen Master Wu Bong: If one says: “This enlightenment business sounds good; I want enlightenment,” that is desire mind. This mind doesn’t even understand enlightenment, so why does it want it? But, if one says, “I don’t understand my true self; what am I?”, then this question takes away desire mind. So, if you cultivate desire, then desire will grow. If you cultivate great question, then desire disappears.

[Fabio]

Zen Master Wu Bong: This don’t know cuts off all thinking. Cuts off all thinking means before thinking. If you keep your mind before thinking then you don’t make, then also there’s nothing to attach to, nothing to check, then of course this desire will not arise, so nothing to want. The name for that is vow. You decide: make a vow. If this vow is deep and strong, then naturally everything in your life will start to support this vow. you make a strong vow, then no matter how crazy your life is, everything will go with that, in that direction. So don’t ask me what is important. This is your job. And if somebody does not know, that is no problem. Then that is your job to find out.

[muni]

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[Fabio]

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[Fabio]

Zen Master Wu Bong: Most people do not mind success, but are adverse to failure. Yet it is success which often becomes enfettering, and it is the suffering associated with failure that gives us energy for practice and raises the deep questions that send us on the spiritual quest.

[Fabio]

Zen Master Wu Bong: Being complete is not dependent on your feeling. Everyone is complete, you are all Buddha. Does that help your life? You have everything! I don’t have anything that you don’t have. Buddha doesn’t have anything you don’t have. Does hearing that help your life?

[Fabio]

Question: When can we call a human being a bodhisattva?
Zen Master Wu Bong: Any time you like.

[Fabio]

Zen Master Wu Bong: In all Sutras there is only one meaning / But behind this meaning, a deeper meaning; / Behind this meaning, an even deeper meaning. / Cracking thunder, bright lightning, / And all meaning disappears. / What are you? / Swallow the red hot iron. / Auuu!!! / If you find a tree without shadow / In a valley with no echo, / Then it will be clear: / Today is Sunday, 6th of February; / In the Dharma room, a new bright light.

[Fabio]

Zen Master Wu Bong: In a way, our life is a preparation for our death. I still think this is not a bad conclusion. There will come a culmination of this vehicle when we have to put it aside. If we want something or are attached to something, this process can be very painful. If we can stay awake, this process can be very wonderful.

[muni]

Q: How can one be Buddha and not be Buddha?
ZMWB: I ask you, what is Buddha?
Q: I have no idea.
ZMWB: That’s correct. That’s Buddha.

[muni]

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