Case 52: Zhaozhou’s Bridge

A disappointed monk traveling to great Master Joshu’s monastery challenges the teacher about what Zen is supposed to look like. Seido encourages the student to look into what is known in experience about the “bridge” to the “other shore” – the path from samsaric realms of suffering to nirvana or release. Joshu makes a poignant statement about the generous nature of the path of practice.