Observations placeholder
Gasan Jōseki - from 101 Zen stones - Killing
Identifier
016428
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Gasan Jōseki (峨山 韶碩 1275–23 November 1366) was a Japanese Soto Zen master.
A description of the experience
Killing
Gasan instructed his adherents one day:
‘Those who speak against killing and who desire to spare the live of all conscious beings are right. It is good to protect even animals and insects. But what about those persons who kill time, what about those who are destroying wealth and those who destroy political economy? We should not overlook them. Furthermore, what of the one who preaches without enlightenment? He is killing Buddhism.'