Does anyone know anything about the Buddhist monk Ummon?
I read a koan (a type of Buddhist proverb or riddle) by Ummon that said some pretty harsh things about Buddha. I am wondering why a Chinese Buddhist monk of Ummon's statue would denigrate the founder of his religion like this.
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Here is a site on Ummon:
http://www.seanparnell.com/Hyperion%20Cantos/Web%20Pages/Ummon.htm
I think I knew what you were talking about. Someone asks him, "What is the Buddha?"
"A stick of dung" (or something like that)
Here's the thing about the Zen Koan...it's not supposed to be understood in a quick manner.
Matt
Yes, Matt, that was the one I was thinking of: "Dung drying on a stick." Today, I was contemplating this saying in my meditation, and I think I am beginning to understand what Ummon might have meant. Perhaps he was saying that the Buddha nature is to be found in even the lowliest of things; the Siddartha Gautama, who we revere, was in fact, nothing particularly special (except that he was awakened to truth). Or, perhaps Ummon was trying to shift our attention away from the historical Buddha so that we would go in search of our own personal enlightenment. I understand that Zen can be pretty inconoclastic at times, teaching students not to revere the Buddha as a deity, but only as an example of what each of us might attain. There is another Zen koan that I know of which says: "If you see Buddha anywhere outside of yourself, kill him immediately."
That Zen Koan was a final exam question for my World Religion class.
It seems like you have already explored some interesting possibilities regarding Ummon's response to the question "What is the Buddha?" and his answer of "A stick of dung." It is important to note that Zen koans are intentionally paradoxical and provoke deep contemplation rather than providing straightforward answers.
To gain a deeper understanding of Ummon's intention behind this response, it could be helpful to explore different interpretations and perspectives from various Buddhist scholars and Zen practitioners. You can do this by researching scholarly articles, books, and other reliable sources that examine Ummon's teachings and the context in which he lived.
The website you mentioned (http://www.seanparnell.com/Hyperion%20Cantos/Web%20Pages/Ummon.htm) might provide some insights into Ummon's life and teachings. However, it is always beneficial to cross-reference information and seek additional sources to ensure a comprehensive understanding.
In gen