Many modern Zen teachers have this a little bit wrong.
Zen Buddhists often use the phrase “Not-Knowing”. It’s meant to point out that one of the delusions that plague people is thinking they can really “know” something. Of course, we know how to tie our shoes and drive a car and buy groceries. This is not the issue here. It’s that we think we “know” ourselves, others and the true reality of the world. The concepts we hold about these larger issues are what lead to suffering because we become attached to them and spend a lot of time supporting or defending them. That’s suffering.
This phrasing comes from pretty far back in Zen literature and particularly from 2 famous Koans. It’s possible that the original meaning, or wording, was lost in translation over the years.
First, Bodhidharma’s response to Emperor Wu.
“Emperor Wu of Ryo asked the great master Bodhidharma, ‘What is the ultimate meaning of the holy truth of Buddhism?’ Bodhidharma replied, ‘Vast emptiness. No holiness.’ The Emperor asked, ‘Who stands here before me?’ Bodhidharma replied, ‘I don’t know.’ The Emperor was baffled. Thereafter, Bodhidharma crossed the river, arrived at Shorin and faced the wall for nine years.”
Second, the interaction between Master Jizo and Hogen.
“Master Jizo asked Hogen, ‘Where have you come from?’ ‘I pilgrimage aimlessly,’ replied Hogen. ‘What is the matter of your pilgrimage?’ asked Jizo. ‘I don’t know,” replied Hogen. ‘Not knowing is the most intimate,’ remarked Jizo. At that, Hogen experienced great enlightenment.”
When Zen students hear that we should practice “Not-Knowing” or “Don’t Know Mind”, they often react with “Wait a minute, it’s important to know things, how could I function without knowing, or, who would I be if I don’t know anything, how could I make proper choices in my life?” This is a legitimate question.
This stems from a basic misunderstanding of where these old masters were coming from and what they were trying to say. I also think that even many of the modern teachers in the Zen tradition don’t thoroughly understand this and just throw these things out without explanation.
I also think that the phrase “Not-Knowing” is the wrong phrase to express the underlying truth of foundational Buddhist principles, and this leads to misunderstandings and further clinging to dualistic ideas.
A simple definition can clear this up this language.
Knowing: to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty
Not-Knowing: the opposite of the above
You can see that these are dualistic concepts that only exist in relationship to each other. They both belong to our conventional dualistic thinking mind. They are useful in day-to-day life and allow us to function and communicate with each other. The problem is that our concepts, ideas and convictions are partial, incomplete, and ultimately unsatisfactory.
The point of the Zen koans shown above goes beyond dualistic thinking and non-dual thinking, which is are also dualistic concepts in themselves.
Let’s look at the view that both transcends and includes these two. This is the transcendent or Apex view that captures the spirit of the truly enlightened person.
Let’s call this Non-Knowing.
Non-Knowing transcends and includes Knowing and Not-Knowing and is comfortable in both the conventional AND the ultimate reality of life and the world around us. This is the mind that flows freely and responds easily and appropriately to all situations. The mind that can apply both Knowing and Not-Knowing as the situation calls for. This is what the Koans above are really referring to.
The reason Jizo tells Hogen that “Not-Knowing” is most intimate is better expressed as “Non-Knowing is most intimate.”
Why? Because from Non-Knowing there are no barriers of Knowing or Not Knowing between you and the actual direct experience of what is right now. The experience of oneness, where you and what is right now, is seen as truly one. What could be more intimate than that?
This is a person who enters a situation or meets another person while free of any preconceived notions about the situation or person, yet still retains their knowledge and skills in order to respond clearly and appropriately to whatever arises. This is transcending and including knowing and not knowing.
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