Walking in Zen, Sitting in Zen

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The Chinese master Yoka Daishi was said to have been in a state of perfect repose while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. According to legend he attained complete realization in one night, and was called “master of the enlightenment attained in one night”.

Osho describes Yoke as a Zen master of great skill; his words being tremendously beautiful, yet uncompromising. His deep respect and compassion for the individual is such that he wants you to wake up now; he shatters all your dreams. Osho walks hand with Yoka’s insistence that the man of Zen is extraordinary in his ordinariness: he walks in Zen, he sits in Zen.

In combining Yoka’s sutras with personal questions from seekers, Osho’s responses are uniquely tailored, travelling like razor-sharp arrows to the heart of the questioner.

Thus he bring alive the ancient Zen master’s words that can only be heard with a deep love for truth and the courage to go through radical transformation.

Yoka Daishi was one of the disciples of the great Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen. When he came to the master he was just on the verge of enlightenment-as everybody is. Just on the verge. If you understand it.. Only one step and you are enlightened; or not even one step-just a blink. When Yoka came to his master, the scriptures say he was just on the verge of enlightenment.

And I say to you everybody else is just the same- on the verge. You can postpone it as long as you want, but the postpone it as you want, but the postponement is your- that is your decision. You can postpone it forever; that is your freedom, otherwise you are always on the threshold: any moment you could have become enlightened, any moment you can become enlightened. Nothing is barring the path except your own decision.

But he was a unique man, unique in the sense that he was not ready to postpone any longer. When he came to Hui Neng, only a little, just a gentle, push was enough. He had slept long; the sleep was disappearing. He was just in that state when you are not asleep and not awake, and just a small dialogue with the master, just a small exchange, a little encounter, and he become enlightened with no effort, with no method. Just looking into the eyes of the master... A few words pass between the master and yoka, and the dialogue is of immense significance.

I would like you to understand it. In fact, I would like you to have such an exchange with me.

When one comes to a master one has to bow three times: that has been a traditional greeting. When you face an enlightened being you have to bow three times- the body bows, the mind bows, the soul bows, you surrender utterly. That is just a gesture; it happens spontaneously. And when it happens spontaneously, only then does it happen.