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Direct Pointing in Zen
- Zen masters often answer questions indirectly, sometimes with seemingly nonsensical responses.
- This "direct pointing" aims to shift the inquirer's perspective rather than provide a direct answer.
No Mind, No Thought
- Zen emphasizes "mushin" (no mind) and "munen" (no thought), not as anti-intellectualism, but as freedom from hypnotic words.
- Don't be fooled by thoughts or language; they are not reality itself.
Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu
- Alan Watts recounts the story of Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu.
- Bodhidharma's responses like "no merit" and "I don't know" challenge conventional religious understanding.