Suppose a bit of filth gets stuck to a man's nose while he is sleeping. When he awakens, unaware of what has happened, he may notice an odor and start smelling his shirt. Thinking his shirt stinks, he takes it off. But then whatever he picks up smells bad to him. He doesn't realize the smell is on his nose.
Someone tells him, but he doesn't believe it. Told to wipe his nose, he refuses.
He'll realize sooner if he wipes off his nose, but when he eventually washes his face he'll find there is no odor. Then he'll find, when he smells things, that they do not stink after all.
Zen study is like this. Those who will not stop and look into themselves go on looking for intellectual understanding. That pursuit of intellectual understanding, seeking rationalizations and making comparisons, is all wrong.
If people would turn their attention back to the self, they would understand everything.
~ Zen Master Foyan
Someone tells him, but he doesn't believe it. Told to wipe his nose, he refuses.
He'll realize sooner if he wipes off his nose, but when he eventually washes his face he'll find there is no odor. Then he'll find, when he smells things, that they do not stink after all.
Zen study is like this. Those who will not stop and look into themselves go on looking for intellectual understanding. That pursuit of intellectual understanding, seeking rationalizations and making comparisons, is all wrong.
If people would turn their attention back to the self, they would understand everything.
~ Zen Master Foyan
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