The Core
The Shoyoroku Case 15: Yangshan Plants the Hoe is a koan in which Master Guishan Lingyou advises his disciple, Yangshan Huiji—who was absorbed in solitary practice—that it is essential to engage with and guide others.
Usually, people interpret this as "the path from personal enlightenment to the salvation of all sentient beings." However, in this dictionary, we define it as a modern teaching on autonomy: "true altruism (downward movement) is to never let go of the autonomy gained through one's own practice, but to bring that same power back into society."
Q&A
- Q: Why does Zen not engage in social service?
- A: Because the starting point of Zen is to detach from worldly values and social frameworks, and any activity that merely fulfills the demands of others without autonomy contradicts the Zen goal of becoming a "self-reliant individual." When a Zen practitioner engages with others, it is not for the sake of "service," but to awaken the autonomous power that lies dormant within them.
