"They have become fossilized theologies, systems, philosophies, doctrines, but they have forgotten the language of the trees. They have forgotten the silence in which even trees can be heard and understood. They have forgotten the joy that has to be natural and spontaneous to the heart of every living being.

"The moment the experience becomes an explanation, an expression, it breathes no more; it is dead – and all over the world people are carrying dead doctrines.

"I call Zen the only living religion because it is not a religion, but only a religiousness. It has no dogma, it does not depend on any founder. It has no past; in fact it has nothing to teach you. It is the strangest thing that has happened in the whole history of mankind – strangest because it enjoys in emptiness, it blossoms in nothingness. It is fulfilled in innocence, in not knowing. It does not discriminate between the mundane and the sacred. For Zen, all that is, is sacred.

"Life is sacred whatever form, whatever shape.

"Wherever there is something living and alive it is sacred.

"Today we are beginning to discuss a few incidents in the long history of Zen – which are unique because no other religion exists on anecdotes. They are not holy scripture; they are simply incidents that have happened.

"It is up to you.

"If you understand them they can open your eyes and your heart. If you don't understand them nothing else will ever be able to open your eyes and your heart. And what I am saying is categorical, absolute.

"These small anecdotes in their very smallness just like dewdrops contain the whole secret of the ocean.

"If you can understand the dewdrop there is no need to understand the ocean you have understood it.

"Please be very silent and careful.

"Emperor Wu of China asked Bodhidharma…. Fourteen hundred years before, Bodhidharma had gone to China. He was a unique man: his statements, his actions, his behavior, all contained the pure essence of religion. But he was not a professor, he was not a missionary. He was a man who was ready to share his being with you without holding anything back – but you have to be ready to receive it."