禅Mahakashyapa

proverb

Flower and Smile

Pre-Han

Traditionally attributed

Text

On Vulture Peak the World-Honored One held up a flower; the assembly was silent; only Mahākāśyapa smiled. The flower has not stopped being held up; the smile has not stopped traveling.

tr. Zen Lineage editorial

license: cc_by

Attribution

Lineage: Indian Patriarchs

By Mahakashyapa

Sources

  • contentEssays in Zen Buddhism, First Series

    D. T. Suzuki

No per-field confidence has been recorded for this teaching yet. Treat individual claims with the caution appropriate to the source list below.

Attribution status: traditional — see editorial policy for what this means.

1 supporting citation on record (see Sources above).

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