The Zen of Advaita - Stephen H. Wolinsky Ph. D.

eminiscent of the two major pathsof India, Vedanta’s neti neti(not this, not this) and KashmirShaivism’s tantra (and this, andthis).In the case of the former, theMaster frustrates the concepts asnot this, not this. In the latter,the responses reveal and this, andthis. As in the question, “Whatis the self?” a Zen Master mightreply, “A tree grows in the woods”or “When it rains the ground getswet.”This paradoxical approach onceagain is not to “move forward” andfigure out the answer. But ratherit is to realize prior to theanswer. For example, if I were tosay to you, “What is?” You mightrespond, “I am here.” My nextsecond question would be, “What isnot?” or “What isn’t?”The what is-what isn’t whenapproached simultaneously bothreveals or gives an answer andthen takes it away. This givingand then taking is a hallmark ofZen and how Nisargadatta wouldgive you a concept, like “Hold30