Zen: The Solitary Bird, Cuckoo of the Forest
Discourses
Table of Contents
The way of the birds
The way of the birds. 'What is the way of the birds?' The way of the birds: birds fly without path—they don't follow roads. Zen is the way of the birds—pathless, free, solitary. The cuckoo of the forest sings alone. The sage doesn't follow—he flies.
Tearing down, breaking up
Tearing down, breaking up. Zen destroys all structures—the mind's and religion's. Tearing down, breaking up: the Zen master is a demolisher. He tears down your concepts, your beliefs, your ego. What remains after the demolition is the truth. The cuckoo doesn't build nests—it uses others'.
Don't wobble
Don't wobble. The mind wobbles—the sage is steady. Don't wobble: the mind goes here and there—up and down. The sage is like the cuckoo—steady on the branch, singing. Don't wobble between yes and no—be one or the other, then go beyond both.
Such a moon
Such a moon. The moon of enlightenment—beautiful, reflected everywhere. Such a moon: the moon of consciousness shines everywhere—in every pond, every puddle. The cuckoo sings to the moon. Don't chase the reflection—find the real moon.
A very dangerous place
A very dangerous place. The spiritual path is dangerous—the ego may die. A very dangerous place: the path is dangerous because it leads to your death (the ego's). The cuckoo flies into the forest alone—no safety net. The sage walks the razor's edge.
In this rackety town
In this rackety town. The marketplace is noisy—the sage is silent within. In this rackety town: the world is rackety—noisy, chaotic. The cuckoo sings in the noisy forest. The sage doesn't escape the noise—he finds silence within it.
Fences, walls and broken tiles
Fences, walls and broken tiles. Zen is in broken tiles—not in grand temples. Fences, walls and broken tiles: the master points to ordinary things—a fence, a wall, a broken tile. Zen is not in grand philosophy—it's in the broken tile. The cuckoo doesn't need a cathedral—it sings in the forest.
Like the tongue of a dead man
Like the tongue of a dead man. The sage's silence—like a dead man's tongue. Like the tongue of a dead man: the sage's tongue is like a dead man's—not from suppression but from having nothing to say. The cuckoo sings, then is silent. Silence is not absence of sound—it's presence of being.
No words, no mind, and you are in
No words, no mind, and you are in. The formula: drop words, drop mind, enter. No words, no mind, and you are in: the three steps. Drop words (concepts), drop mind (the thinker), and you're in (the truth). The cuckoo doesn't use words—it sings. Don't think—be.
Be at the center
Be at the center. Not at the periphery—at the center. Be at the center: the periphery is the mind—the center is the being. The cuckoo sits at the center of the forest. Don't live at the edge of yourself—come to the center.
Dhyana has no gate
Dhyana has no gate. Meditation has no entrance—you're already in. Dhyana has no gate: there's no door to meditation because you're already inside. The gate is the illusion that you're outside. The cuckoo doesn't enter the forest—it IS the forest.
Hidden behind these reflecting eyes
Hidden behind these reflecting eyes. The truth is hidden behind your eyes. Hidden behind these reflecting eyes: your eyes reflect the world, but behind them is the seer. Don't look at what the eyes see—look at what's behind them. The cuckoo is hidden behind its song.
The price of rice in Joshu
The price of rice in Joshu. The ordinary as the ultimate—rice is Zen. The price of rice in Joshu: Joshu answered questions about the ultimate with 'the price of rice.' The ordinary IS the ultimate. The cuckoo's song is about nothing—it's just a song.
Kwatz!
Kwatz! The Zen shout that shatters the mind. Kwatz! the ultimate sound—the shout that breaks all thinking. Not a word—a thunderclap. The cuckoo's call is a kwatz—sudden, unexpected, shattering. Don't think—Kwatz!
The house where nobody lives
The house where nobody lives. The empty house—enlightenment. The house where nobody lives: the body is the house; the ego is the resident. When the ego leaves, the house is empty—but not vacant. The cuckoo's empty nest—the bird has flown. Emptiness is fullness.