Classical Interpretations (15) Sanity and Madness: Zoga (Part 2)

Zoga was a serious and single-minded man.
He was also a lonely man.
Even though he was admired by people for both his scholarship and character from a young age, he himself felt a growing, deep sense of weariness with the world.

Once, lamenting that he could not generate a sincere desire for the Way that satisfied him, he secluded himself in the Konpon Chudo of Enryaku-ji Temple for a thousand nights, praying for this desire through a thousand prostrations each night.
At first, he did not make a sound during his prostrations, but by the six or seven-hundredth night, he began to mutter, "Grant it, grant it."
Those who heard this were suspicious and mocked him, asking, "What is this monk praying for, saying 'Grant it, Tengu-possessed one'?"
However, as the seclusion neared its end, when it became clear that he was saying "Grant me the desire for the Way," people praised him, saying, "How admirable."

The sight of a monk muttering "Grant it, grant it" while performing a thousand prostrations every night is certainly strange.
His seriousness and single-mindedness seem to have driven him to the brink of eccentric behavior.
People initially mocked Zoga, but once they learned his actions were for the sake of the desire for the Way, they completely changed their tune and praised him.
However, did people truly understand Zoga?

The next story is from the 'Hosshinshu'.

Zoga himself could not attain the desired state of mind even after his thousand-night seclusion.
So, he went alone to the Ise Grand Shrine to pray for the desire for the Way.
One night in a dream, he received a divine revelation.
If you wish to awaken the desire for the Way, you must not be concerned with your own body.
Waking with a start, Zoga made the following resolution:
It is a revelation to abandon fame and profit. Very well, I shall abandon them completely.
To everyone's surprise, he took off everything he was wearing, gave it to a beggar, and returned to Mount Hiei completely naked.
He spent four days begging on his way back, and even when surrounded by people calling him "mad" or "disgraceful," he was said to have remained completely unperturbed.

Now, upon returning to the temple, there were some monks who treated Zoga as a madman or turned their eyes away.
As expected, he was understood by almost no one.
His intense heart, which had cried "Grant me the desire for the Way," must have been what led him to return to the mountain naked.
Yet, not a single person who had praised his thousand-night seclusion could fathom the meaning of this.
In the end, they only praised the form of Zoga's thousand-night seclusion—that is, the form of seeking the desire for the Way.
Likewise, this time too, they only saw the form of Zoga returning naked.

Note: Sensibilities regarding nudity were quite different then compared to now. Zoga's actions would, of course, be a crime today.

What about his teacher, Ryogen?
He alone seemed to be looking at Zoga's heart.
Ryogen admonished Zoga.
I understand well that you have abandoned fame and profit. However, such behavior is going too far. Quickly restore your dignity and abandon fame and profit in your heart.

Ryogen is teaching that abandoning fame and profit is not a matter of form, but a matter of the heart.
Being naked is proof that one is still attached to form.
However, Zoga replied:

"Once I have completely abandoned fame and profit forever, it shall be as you say," he said, and shouting, "Oh, what a joyful body I have! Oh, oh!" he ran off. The Great Master (Ryogen) also went outside the gate, and as he watched Zoga's retreating figure, he shed tears for no apparent reason."If I have been able to abandon fame and profit forever, then I shall do so."
Having answered thus, he shouted, "Ah, what a joyful body I have! Oh, oh!" and ran out. The Great Master (Ryogen) also went outside the gate, and as he watched Zoga's retreating figure, he shed tears for no apparent reason.

"A person's value is not determined by their appearance."
Such words are sound in theory, but they are often lies.
How much can one trust a heart that never manifests in form?
Zoga likely could not entrust himself to a heart that could not be relied upon.
It could be said that by becoming naked, he was testing his own heart.

Oh, what a joyful body I have! Oh, oh!
Ryogen watches Zoga, who leaves naked, while shedding tears.
In Zoga's case, his eccentric behavior appears to my eyes as something extremely natural.

Even so, why did Ryogen shed tears?
Was it because his brilliant disciple had gone mad?
However, Ryogen must have understood the meaning of Zoga's behavior well.
Ryogen's tears do not seem to be tears of pity for Zoga as an individual.
Perhaps they were tears mourning the difficulty of living one's life with single-mindedness.
If one tries to live single-mindedly, parts of one's life will inevitably clash with society.
Parts of one's life will also clash with who one was until now.
At that time, a person's behavior appears anti-social or eccentric.
Ryogen's tears seem to be tears of pity for the very nature of human existence.
(To be continued)