Heshan said, “Learning by study is called ‘hearing’; learning no more is called ‘nearness’; transcending these two is ‘true passing.'”
A monk asked, “What is ‘true passing’?”
Heshan said, “Beating the drum.”
The monk asked again, “What is the true teaching of the Buddha?”
Heshan said, “Beating the drum.”
The monk asked once more, “I would not ask you about ‘This very mind is the Buddha,’ but what is ‘No mind, no Buddha’?”
Heshan said, “Beating the drum.”
The monk still continued to ask: “When an enlightened one comes, how do you treat him?”
Heshan said, “Beating the drum.” (Blue Cliff Record, case 44)
What is he banging on about? Same answer every time – is that lack of imagination, or affirmation of the reality? Yes or no? Bang bang bang.
Shundo David Haye 