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Part X : 1987-1990 Poona-Two : Live Zen
and drumbeat
In April 1988, Osho begins a new series on Live Zen. In May,
while commenting on Zen master Kasan, he asks percussionist Nivedano
to beat the drum loudly for each stage of the let-go meditation
at the end of discourse.
Before I talk about the anecdote, I would like…Who is at
the drum? Nivedano, beat the drum first.
(Drumbeat)
(Nivedano hits the drum hard.)
You will have to do it again and again whenever I say….
This anecdote about Kasan's beating the drum looks so simple from
the outside, but from the inside it has tremendous meaning and
is multidimensional.
The first….
You have to understand what a drum is.
A drum is emptiness enclosed.
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
There is nothing inside the drum. That is our actual state. We
are just an outside cover, inside is emptiness. And just as the
drum can speak out of emptiness, you are doing everything out
of emptiness. This is one dimension of the meaning of Kasan's
beating the drum.
The other dimension is that whatever question is asked to him,
he goes on saying in answer, "Beating the drum." It
does not matter what question you are asking—there may be
millions of questions but there is only one answer:
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
…and the answer cannot be verbalized. That's why Kasan used
to keep a drum by his side. You ask him anything—it does
not matter what you are asking, he will simply beat the drum.
That was his answer….
A monk asked, "What is true passing?"
Kasan said, "Beating the drum."
Nivedano… (Drumbeat)
The monk asked again, "What is the true teaching of the Buddha?"
Kasan said, "Beating the drum."
Nivedano…. (drumbeat)
The monk asked once more, "I would not ask you about this
very mind is the Buddha, but what is no mind, no Buddha?"
Kasan said, "Beating the drum."
Nivedano…. (drumbeat)
The monk still continued to ask: "When an enlightened one
comes, how do you treat him?"
Kasan said, "Beating the drum."
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
This "beating the drum" of Kasan is a tremendous device.
He says, "All your questions, howsoever great they look,
howsoever profound and philosophical, they are all coming out
of an emptiness within you." He is saying, "Just for
a moment think of yourself as a drum."
That was his meditation to his disciples. If you can conceive
of yourself as emptiness enclosed by the body, you will have understood
the absurd action of Kasan. It is not logical; in fact, a logical
person will think this man is mad. And by the way, Nivedano is—otherwise,
why are you beating the drum?
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
Good!…
He is saying, "Kasan is simply concerned with the ultimate
truth of your emptiness. Out of your emptiness all kinds of sounds,
thoughts, imagination, dreams…but a good hit on your coconut…"
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
Yeah, it hits well—many people seem to realize the emptiness!
Even if nobody else becomes enlightened, Nivedano's drum is going
to become enlightened. That is not a small matter….
Nivedano…. (Drumbeat)
Have you got the feel of beating the drum?
There is nothing inside, still…it makes so much noise.
Just look within yourself. What is there? A heartbeat, breathing
coming in and going out…and what else? When you are utterly
silent you are pure emptiness. Emptiness breathing…emptiness
full of the dance of the heartbeat.
This is what is called going beyond, passing beyond—beyond
knowledge, beyond ignorance—into the world of no knowing….
Now, Nivedano, the last beat on the drum…. (Drumbeat)
Now the drum should be allowed to rest. And specially for the
drum, I am going to tell a few stories: livzen14
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