A Zen Master's View of Men and Women

Author: Lin Gufang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Men will always remember: Only those who respect a woman's intuition are wise, and only those who appreciate a woman's tolerance are mature. A woman's confusion is a life mystery that men must contemplate forever. As Zen teaches, the life of enlightenment is "carrying water and moving firewood," "eating when hungry and sleeping when tired." True love must also emerge after storms and calm seas. It appears static, yet it continuously emits the subtle light of life. The issue between men and women is not just about liberation or abstinence; (jiětào) and entanglement (jié tào) are often two sides of the same coin. Without the opposite sex, some become enlightened or holy, while others become mad or (kuáng); with the opposite sex, some find completeness, while others feel trapped like in a cage. Between good and bad, is it a matter of fate or the lack of self-awareness ("bennwuguān, zìbì quēduō")? Here, each case involves a unique life, but despite its uniqueness, the problem has common roots. And because it is not a non-issue, not a choice, nor a simple question, it becomes an important topic for life contemplation.