SEAnews 2015-02-20 ArtNo.45451

　Jesus, who had started to baptize with The Holy Spirit in the countryside of Jerusalem, moved the base of his activity to Capernaum in Galilee after an argument had developed between Jesus' disciples and the followers of John the Baptist.

○Five small barley loaves and two small fish

　When the Jewish Passover Feast, which is celebrated on the 14th or 15th day counting from the new moon of Ni-san (March–April on the Gregorian calendar), was near, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee and went up on a mountainside with his disciples and then distributed five small barley loaves and two small fish to about five thousand people followed him.
　The next day when Jesus, who had returned to Capernaum, went to the synagogue and saw some of the people who had followed him from the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee. He said, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life." (John 6:22-27)

○The true bread from heaven

　Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "Believe in me who has been sent to you by God."(John 6:28-29) However they were not satisfied and asked, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
　Jesus said to them, "It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." (The Origin of Christianity P.371)

　Jesus deployed unique dialectics when he debated with the clergy or preached to people in the temple or synagogues and transferred to them God itself or The Holy Spirit, which could not be expressed in words and letters, in other words, he baptized them with The Holy Spirit. He declared, "One, who is baptized with The Holy Spirit, has everlasting life."

○18 types of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

　Masters of Zen Buddhism, which regards the spiritual rebirth (baptism of The Holy Spirit) as one of its fundamental tenets, track down believers, in order to inspire their spiritual awakening through questions and answers in the indoor and outdoor of their monasteries. There are eighteen types of koans (questions and answers taking place between Zen masters and their students), which were classified by Zen Master FenYang ShanZhao (947-1024) during the Sung Dynasty in China. The classification has been called "FenYang's eighteen types of Questions" among Zen Buddhists. However it is not just the classification of Zen students' questions but rather the classification of entire dialogues between Zen masters and their students.

01)《Asking for instruction》: The question asking for instruction.
02)《Presenting one's understanding》: The question in which the questioner asks for the master's judgement by describing his own mental condition.
03)《Investigating and discerning》: The question whereby the questioner attempts to see where the master stands.
04)《Meeting of minds》: The question in which the questioner shows that he still has to doubt as to his attainment and expresses his desire for confirmation.
05)《Wrapping up (focusing)》: The questioner raises a biased opinion and pursues its opponent relentlessly.
06)《Mental activity》: The question asked by one who is at a loss as to how to go on with his study of Zen.
[e.g.]A monk asked XingHua, "Master XingHua, I am a novice, do not know even the rudiments. Please teach me." The question was hardly out when the master gave him a good slashing.
07)《Seeking out》: The question asked with the intention to probe into the attainment of the master.
08)《Not understanding》: The question of ignorance. This does not seem to differ from the sixth.
[e.g.]A monk asked XuanSha, "I am a newcomer in the monastery; please tell me how to go on with my study. " "Do you hear the murmuring stream?" "Yes, master." "If so, here is the entrance."
09)《Lifting up》: The question proposed by one who has his own view of Zen and wishes to see how the master takes it.
10)《Posing a question》:The question in which an ancient master's saying is referred to.
11)《Intentional question》: The question containing words from the sutras.
12)《Using things/events》: The question containing references to a known fact.
13)《Real question》: The question that starts from an immediate fact of observation.
14)《Fabricated question》: The question containing a hypothetical case.
15)《Making sure》: The question embodying a real doubt.
16)《Eliciting》: The question with an aggressive intent.
17)《Clarifying》: The question plainly and straightforwardly stated.
18)《Silent question》: The question not expressed in words.
(Source: Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia)

○Zhaozhou's spirit

　Zhaozhou Congshen (778-897), one of the great Chan (Zen) masters during the later period of the Tang Dynasty in China, served as the abbot of a temple called Guanyin-yuan, located in a small town of Hubei. One day a monk asked Zhaozhou, "With what intention did Bodhidharma come to China?" Zhaozhou answered, "The oak tree in the front garden." The monk was not satisfied with Zhaozhou's this answer and said, "Don't use an object to teach me!" "I'm not using an object to teach you," Zhaozhou replied. Then the monk asked, "What is the meaning of the Ancestor coming from the west?" Zhaozhou said, "The oak tree in the front garden."
　Wumen Huikai(1182-1260), who wrote "Wumenguan (Gateless Barrier)", an analects of Koan during the Sung Dynasty in China, commented, "If you grasp Zhaozhou's spirit, the full meaning of Zhaozhou's answer, you will understand that, there is no Shakyamuni Buddha before you and no Maitreya Buddha after you." From the state of Enlightenment of Buddha who attained spiritual awakening under the Bodhi tree and testified, "Holy am I alone throughout heaven and earth," there is no longer difference of subject and object. Therefore trees and the domains of all living things, all attain buddhahood. However the monk seems to have been not able to grasp Zhaozhou's spirit.
　Similarly, when Jesus preached, "Only one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life," many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him, according to the Gospel of John. Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. The Spirit gives life; without the Spirit, the flesh counts for nothing." (John 6:60-63) In other words if anyone has already received 'Spirit', whatever he eats and drinks, is Jesus' flesh and blood just as an oak tree is the meaning of Bodhidharma's visiting China and a dry piece of shit is the entity of Buddha. (The Origin of Christianity P.371)

○The type of "FenYang's classification"
　This koan, recorded in "《Wumenguan》Case 37" and 《Zhaozhou-lu》, is classified into 05)《Wrapping up (focusing)》, that the questioner raises a biased opinion and pursues its opponent relentlessly. Jesus too made deliberately an extreme lecture which Jews, who are strictly forbidden to drink blood, could not accept and provoked sharp arguement among them. He might have wantted to help even one of them attain spiritual rebirth through this kind of drastic measure. Though from this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him, according to the Gospel, Simon Peter made a sound like somewhat Gnostic and thus Buddhistic too testimony, saying, "We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Buddha attained the state of Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and testified, "Holy am I alone throughout heaven and earth. Grass, trees and the domains of all living things, all attain buddhahood." Thus, if you can see in this way; "Heaven, earth, and I have the same root and myriad things and I are one body," you too have already obtained eternal life. It may be mentioned here that a man possessed by an evil spirit also makes a same testimony in the Gospel of Mark.(Mark 1:24)
　Incidentally, a simila koan, in which a different monk asks Zen master Muzhou about the meaning of the Ancestor coming from the west, is classified into 16)《Eliciting》.
　Muzhou was asked by a monk, "The Patriarch came from India and what did he design to do here?" Muzhou retorted, "You tell; what did he design?' The monk gave no reply, so Muzhou struck him.

　The description of "Gospel of Thomas", which is said to be one of so called Q Sources, a common collection of Jesus' sayings to which authors of Gospels in the New Testament referred, adopts a dialog style between Jesus and his disciples. Therefore, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which Thomas brought to India, may be the type of "FenYang's eighteen types of Questions"

○What is "Baptism with The Holy Spirit"?
　According to the dialectic of the Gospel of John,
【Thesis】"A man can possess eternal life through accepting testimony of the Son of man and being baptized by him." (John 5:24)
【Anti-thesis】But "The one who comes from the earth cannot accept the testimony by one from heaven."(John 3:32)
　How then can a man possess eternal life?
【Synthesis】"If you want to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, you can just go back to the word which was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and certify that God is truthful. (John 3:33)"
　When he said, "You are Huichao," Zen Master Fayan thrusted vivid Self in Huichao in front of his eyes. (P.176)
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[Reference]

○Saint Thomas Christian churches
　The Saint Thomas Christians are an ancient body of Christians from Kerala, India, who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. They are also known as "Nasranis" because they are followers of "Jesus of Nazareth". The term "Nasrani" is still used by St. Thomas Christians in Kerala.
　They are also called Syrian Christians because of their use of Syriac in liturgy. Their original liturgical language was Aramaic which was later changed to Syriac. They are also known as Malabar / Malankara Mar Thoma Nasranis, because these Christians are from Kerala that was also known as Malabar or Malankara. Their language is Malayalam, the language of Kerala. (wikipedia)

<1>The Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Kodungaloor, Kerala)
Believed to be one of the seven churches in India built by St. Thomas.

<2>The St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Palayur, Kerala)
Believed to be one of the seven churches said to be built by Thomas.

<3>The St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Kottakayal, North Paravur, Kerala)
Believed to be one of the seven churches said to be built by Thomas.

<4>The St. Mary's Orthodox Church (Niranam, Kerala)
Believed to be one of the seven churches said to be built by Thomas.

<5>The St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Kokkamangalam, Kerala)
Believed to be one of the seven churches said to be built by Thomas.

<6>St. Mary's Orthodox Church (Thiruvithamcode Arappally = Royal Church)
Believed to be founded by Thomas in 63. It is known as Arapalli, short form of Arachan Palli (King’s Church).

<7>St Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Kudamaloor)
It was built by the king of Chempakassery in AD 1125

○《ZhaoZhouLu》
Zhaozhou was asked by a monk, "What is the meaning of the Ancestor coming from the west?"
Zhaozhou says, "The oak tree in the garden."
And the monk says, "Teacher, please don't use an object for your answer."
Zhaozhou says, "I'm not using an object."
The monk says, "What is the meaning of the Ancestor coming from the west?"
Zhaozhou says, "The oak tree in the garden."

○《The Gateless Barrier》Case 21: Yunmen's Dry Piece of Shit
A monk asked Yunmen Wenyan, "What is buddha?"
Yunmen answered, "A dry piece of shit."

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