A monk asked ZhaoZhou(趙州), "The myriad things return to one. Where does the one return to?"

ZhaoZhou said, "When I was in Qing zhou(青州) I made a cloth shirt. It weighed seven pounds."

This time, let's take a look at the koan (公案) of "The Blue Cliff Record(碧巌録) 45th Case: The myriad things return to one." (Blue Cliff Record 45th Case)

ZhaoZhou CongShen (趙州従諗778-897), one of the great Chan (禅Zen) masters during the later period of the Tang Dynasty(唐王朝) in China, who served as the abbot of a temple called Guanyin-yuan(観音院), located in a small town of Hebei(河北省), was one day asked by a monk, "The myriad things return to one. Where does the one return to?" ZhaoZhou said, "When I was in Qing zhou I made a cloth shirt. It weighed seven pounds."

Buddhists consider that all things in this world are born by karma which is made from chains of cause and effect and environment where these chains occur and will disappear by karma too. And they call this logic "dharmata" as the true nature of all manifest phenomena through out of the universe. The scripture of "the myriad things return to one" also shows the truth that all things occur from "dharmata" and return to "dharmata" after they disappear.

The monk, who had already known the meaning of "the myriad things return to one", did not ask ZhaoZhou to explain the scripture, but to testify to the Enlightenment, in other words, to baptize with the Holy Spirit. ZhaoZhou, who penetrated the monk's intention, did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "When I was in Qing zhou I made a cloth shirt. It weighed seven pounds."

According to YuanWu-Lu(圜悟録), another analects of Koan, some time later, when a different monk asked JiangShan-chanshi (蒋山禅師) the same question, JiangShan answered that he ate when he felt hungry and lay when he was tired.

While, LinJi (臨済Rinzai), a famous Zen Master of the Tang Dynasty, said, "A true man who has no rank (No rank means“to abide nowhere and completely free”) but has complete integrity exists on the red meat ball and comes and goes from your face doors. (The face doors mean ears, nose, mouth and numerous pores, etc.) One who has not testified yet, watch it now. Gentlemen, Buddhism has no knack, seeing things as they are, taking a leak and a crap, dressing, eating and lying tired."

While the Gospel of John raises the biggest koan (Koans are subjects which Zen masters give their students in the meditation hall) shared by all mankind, that is, "Where is Jesus after the Crucifixion?" through out of the Gospel, after having made clear that the Word (Logos), which penetrates the universe, is the entity of Jesus, saying "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)" at the beginning, Jesus himself answered to the riddle at the Last Supper.

When the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, not publicly, but in secret. Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."

The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but you will not find me,' and 'Where I am, you cannot come'?" (John 7:33-36)

Jesus told the Twelve the true meaning of his crucifixion at the Last Supper;

But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. (John 16:23-28)(reference)

After finishing the last preachment, Jesus went a little distance away from his disciples and prayed;

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:11)

I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23)(reference)

Su Dongpo (1037-1101), a famous Chinese literary and political figure in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), said in his poem, as follows;

The intention of one, who does not draw anything on a white silk, is high.

If red or blue was put on it, it would become secondary.

There is everything in nothing, flowers, moon, and pavilions.

If all mankind return to the state of nothing and forget national interest and sectarian feelings, each nation, ethnic, religion and atheist may find inexhaustible benefit.

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. (The Origin of Christianity P.171)

A monk asked ZhaoZhou, "The myriad things return to one. Where does the one return to?"

ZhaoZhou said, "When I was in Qing zhou I made a cloth shirt. It weighed seven pounds."

A true man who has no rank but has complete integrity exists on the red meat ball and comes and goes from your face doors. One who has not testified yet, watch it now. Gentlemen, Buddhism has no knack, seeing things as they are, taking a leak and a crap, dressing, eating and lying tired. Idiots may laugh, the wise know it. As the ancients said, 'One who devises outward is the sheer folly.' The place where you stand, if you become the master, anywhere anytime becomes true. While the environment is changing rapidly, do not be preoccupied. If you can live this way, you can swim in the ocean of liberation."