Hello, I’m Cheng Qing. Welcome to Relief for Life: Forty Introductory Lectures on Buddhism.

I planned to introduce bodhisattva compassion this week, but while preparing I recalled that the Heart and Diamond Sutras are Mahayana prajñā texts and foundations of Chinese Zen. So let us first explore Zen thought and practice.

Zen is often misunderstood. “Not establishing words” is taken as anti-intellectualism; shouts and blows that seem irrational are read as arbitrary madness, as though the crazier one acts, the more Zen one becomes. But as Buddhism, Zen cannot violate Buddhist doctrine. Awakened masters’ dramatic behavior is only pedagogical method.

This episode briefly explainsthe inner logic of Zen practice,rather than accepting claims that Zen departed from Buddhism or is no longer Buddhist.

Why did Chinese Zen become this kind of Zen?

Traditional histories trace Zen to Vulture Peak. Preparing to teach, the Buddha says nothing but holds up a flower. Disciples stare in confusion; Mahākāśyapa smiles. The Buddha says:“I possess the treasury of the true Dharma eye and the wondrous mind of nirvana; I entrust it to you.”He confirms that Kāśyapa understood the flower’s meaning.

Leaving historical authenticity aside, the case’s central feature is thatthe Buddha expresses awakening through wordless teaching.Scripture usually presents him analyzing, explaining, and using parables—teaching through speech. Why did a flower teach at Vulture Peak, and how did Kāśyapa understand?

The Vimalakīrti Sutra contains another rare scene. Mañjuśrī visits Vimalakīrti for the Buddha, and silence expresses awakening.

Mañjuśrī asks, “What is the bodhisattva gate of nonduality?” Vimalakīrti remains silent. Rather than see no answer, Mañjuśrī praises his silence as the true gate.

This became a classic image. Later Zen phrases such as “thunder in profound silence” and “one silence like thunder” describe the sutra’s simultaneously silent and resounding state.

How can the absence of words be teaching?