Souchi
11-11-2017, 09:02 PM
In the thread about the Precept "To Refrain from Untruth" I had asked the following question.
P.S. This is a bit off topic but there is a German book titled "Zen ist die größte Lüge aller Zeiten" ("Zen is the biggest lie of all time") which consists of a collection of sayings attributed to Kodo Sawaki. I have always wondered if the book's title really is one of Sawaki's own sayings or if it is just a made up phrase. At least it sounds "zennish" [morehappy]
4753
Jundo answered the following.
Hi,
Just to drop in that the only two quotes I find like that by him are the following. He might have said it, but I am sure that there is a context ...
Don’t take pride in your practice. It’s clear that any satori you take pride in is a lie.
...
A Christian asked me once, “My priest has said that no religion has spread so many lies as Buddhism. Is that really true?” I answered, “Now you’ve hit the nail right on the head, my friend!” The Lotus Sutra as well as The Garland Sutra and the Shōbōgenzō are nothing but lies – when they’re not put into practice. Without zazen, Buddhism is a total lie.
http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/kodo...i-to-you.shtml (http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/kodo-sawaki-to-you.shtml)
PS - I also found this translation of the quote from the German book ...
"Someone once asked me: "Don't you think that buddhism is the biggest lie of all times? - Sure, what buddhist monks are uttering is as much bogus as what is written in the books. Why? Because people that have never experienced it themselves are talking about nirvana, or others are going on about the great awakening after the death of mind, while having their eyes shut tight. Generally, religious folks seem to have the tendency of talking about stuff that has nothing to do with their own lives."
Kotei pointed out the following.
Hello,
maybe we should ask the translator, which seems to be Muho from Antaiji.
The original title seems to be: "Ikiru chikara toshite no zen", Kushiya Shusoku, a tool translated as "Zen as a power to live".
(well, another tool translated it as "Living and power even from small tables" ;-).
I find the attitude of the german title very much in line with how the texts inside are written.
Finally, here is Muho's response to this question (English translation below).
Hallo,
wie schon im Thread erwaehnt, lautte der Originaltitel "Zen als Lebenskraft", was ein bisschen wie ein Bio-DRink klingt.
Eines der Kapitel war im Original "Buddhismus ist die groesste Luege aller Zeiten" betitelt, was sich auf die Zitate bezieht, die Jundo im Thread erwaehnt. Also: "Zen ist..." stammt so nicht aus Sawakis Mund, ist meine Erfindung. Die jeweiligen Titel ueberschrfiten stammen von Kushiya Shusoku, und sind meist mehr oder weniger getreu von mir uebersetzt.
Dass sich dieses Buch sehr viel besser verkauft als sein Vorgaenger "An dich" liegt wohl auch an dem knackigen Titel.
Kurzer Gruss,
Muho
Rough English translation.
Hello,
as mentioned in the thread, the original title was "Zen as a power to live" which sounded a bit like a bio-drink.
One of the chapters of the original was titled "Buddhism is the biggest lie of all times" which is a reference to the quotes that Jundo mentions in the thread. So: "Zen is..." was not coined by Sawaki himself, it is my own invention. All the title headers originate from Kushiya Shusoku and I have translated them more or less accurately.
It seems to be due to its catchy title that this book sells way better than its predecessor "An dich" ("To you").
Greetings,
Muho
Gassho,
Stefan
SatToday
P.S. I hope it is clear that for the sake of confidentiality I only send Muho the quotes mentioned above and not the contents of the complete discussion thread about the Precept.
P.S. This is a bit off topic but there is a German book titled "Zen ist die größte Lüge aller Zeiten" ("Zen is the biggest lie of all time") which consists of a collection of sayings attributed to Kodo Sawaki. I have always wondered if the book's title really is one of Sawaki's own sayings or if it is just a made up phrase. At least it sounds "zennish" [morehappy]
4753
Jundo answered the following.
Hi,
Just to drop in that the only two quotes I find like that by him are the following. He might have said it, but I am sure that there is a context ...
Don’t take pride in your practice. It’s clear that any satori you take pride in is a lie.
...
A Christian asked me once, “My priest has said that no religion has spread so many lies as Buddhism. Is that really true?” I answered, “Now you’ve hit the nail right on the head, my friend!” The Lotus Sutra as well as The Garland Sutra and the Shōbōgenzō are nothing but lies – when they’re not put into practice. Without zazen, Buddhism is a total lie.
http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/kodo...i-to-you.shtml (http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/kodo-sawaki-to-you.shtml)
PS - I also found this translation of the quote from the German book ...
"Someone once asked me: "Don't you think that buddhism is the biggest lie of all times? - Sure, what buddhist monks are uttering is as much bogus as what is written in the books. Why? Because people that have never experienced it themselves are talking about nirvana, or others are going on about the great awakening after the death of mind, while having their eyes shut tight. Generally, religious folks seem to have the tendency of talking about stuff that has nothing to do with their own lives."
Kotei pointed out the following.
Hello,
maybe we should ask the translator, which seems to be Muho from Antaiji.
The original title seems to be: "Ikiru chikara toshite no zen", Kushiya Shusoku, a tool translated as "Zen as a power to live".
(well, another tool translated it as "Living and power even from small tables" ;-).
I find the attitude of the german title very much in line with how the texts inside are written.
Finally, here is Muho's response to this question (English translation below).
Hallo,
wie schon im Thread erwaehnt, lautte der Originaltitel "Zen als Lebenskraft", was ein bisschen wie ein Bio-DRink klingt.
Eines der Kapitel war im Original "Buddhismus ist die groesste Luege aller Zeiten" betitelt, was sich auf die Zitate bezieht, die Jundo im Thread erwaehnt. Also: "Zen ist..." stammt so nicht aus Sawakis Mund, ist meine Erfindung. Die jeweiligen Titel ueberschrfiten stammen von Kushiya Shusoku, und sind meist mehr oder weniger getreu von mir uebersetzt.
Dass sich dieses Buch sehr viel besser verkauft als sein Vorgaenger "An dich" liegt wohl auch an dem knackigen Titel.
Kurzer Gruss,
Muho
Rough English translation.
Hello,
as mentioned in the thread, the original title was "Zen as a power to live" which sounded a bit like a bio-drink.
One of the chapters of the original was titled "Buddhism is the biggest lie of all times" which is a reference to the quotes that Jundo mentions in the thread. So: "Zen is..." was not coined by Sawaki himself, it is my own invention. All the title headers originate from Kushiya Shusoku and I have translated them more or less accurately.
It seems to be due to its catchy title that this book sells way better than its predecessor "An dich" ("To you").
Greetings,
Muho
Gassho,
Stefan
SatToday
P.S. I hope it is clear that for the sake of confidentiality I only send Muho the quotes mentioned above and not the contents of the complete discussion thread about the Precept.