Dog kills Joju

Zen Master Seug Sahn and several others were once invited to stay at a student's house out in the country. The student had a large dog, which spent most the time looking out the front door, wagging its tail and barking anytime someone came near the house. In the evening, as everyone was resting around the fireplace after dinner, the dog came and sat next to Dae Soen Sa Nim.

The Zen master leaned over to the dog. "I have a question for you that all Zen students cannot answer: Buddha said that all things have Buddha-nature. But when asked if a dog has Buddha-nature, the great Zen Master Joju said, 'Mu!' ('No!') So I ask you, do you have Buddha-nature?"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

"You are better than Joju," Dae Soen Sa Nim said.

Teaching of Zen Master Suen Sahn, compiled by Hyon Gak in Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake

Commentary:


There is a famous koan that goes like this:

A monk asked Zhaozhou (Joju above), "Does even a dog have Buddha-nature?"

Zhaozhou said, "No."

This is supposed to be first in a series of koans to break down the barriers of the mind. One must reflect on and come to an understanding of this koan before preceding to more koans. The explanation of the koan (according to No Barrier - Unlocking the Zen Koan by Thomas Cleary) is that

a) nonhumans do not have the ability to attain enlightenment, because they have consciousness similar to humans' dream-state consciousness.
b) the word 'no' is not just an answer to the question but more like a mantra to concentrate on, so as to "free the mind from the limitations of fixed ideas and compulsive habits of thought."
c) the answer 'no' also means that there is no way to describe or imagine enlightenment; one can only experience it.

One is supposed to use this koan in meditative practice and when you observe your thoughts rambling on (in apparent 'dog'-like fashion) you are supposed to bring No to mind. Of course the trick is to clear the mind and thinking the word 'no' is a means to getting there, but thinking anything at all, even the word 'no' means you have not yet emptied the mind.

There is further, more profound explanation of this koan in Cleary's book, as well as warnings on malpractice of the koan. As this is a very famous koan, I am sure there are many more theories on its explanation. And as I read more of the koans, I am sure this one will be revisited.

I think Zen Master Seung Sahn student's dog (above) has the best explanation of all!