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　　 Mathematically or metaphysically speaking, we can say that "the here and the now" in the Garden of Eden is zero (0) and that this zero equals infinity, thus: 0 = infinity, and infinity = 0. This is where Zen starts. Zen is not theologically minded; therefore it omits mentioning God. Zen is not mythologically inclined; therefore it disregards all the stories familiar to Western people. If one wishes to understand how concretely pure Zen experience is, let him turn himself into a zero and see what it is. Whatever philosophy he desires to build, let him do so upon his "pure experience" instead of mere conceptualization. The zero is not an empty concept, nor is it a mere word; it is a storehouse of infinite possibilities, and it never stays quiescent with all its treasures.

　　 Logicians and linguists frequently take up enigmatic or contradictory statements of the Zen masters from their specialized point of view to try to explain them away. This, of course, is quite a natural thing for them to do. While Zen has nothing much to say against their professionalism, it has to remark this: If they think they have exhausted Zen by thus analyzing the so-called Zen paradox, such as "handle a spade while empty-handed," or "riding a water buffalo while walking on foot," they are utterly mistaken for they fail altogether to enter into the spirit of Zen, which is not in letters but in the experience itself. The experience is ante-scientific, ante-rationalistic. It precedes logically, though not chronologically, all forms of speculation which issue out of it, and not conversely. This is the most important point, which we ought never to forget when dealing with Zen.

　　 When Zen expresses itself in one form or another, linguistically or otherwise, it falls into the hands of the scientist and philosopher. Zen is to be taken hold of even prior to its thus going out of itself. The expressions, paradoxical or otherwise, are always to be interpreted by referring to the primary experience itself and never by merely tracing out their linguistic or dialectical relations. However fine this kind of analysis may be, it is sure to miss the most essential point so long as it goes on independently of the original experience which has given birth to those verbal expressions. This is what makes the study of Zen almost an impossible task for the philosopher or linguist. The more the latter strives to get at the meaning of a Zen expression, the deeper he gets into entanglement, and he finds himself more and more involved in his own schematization.

　　 Again to speak mathematically, "the here and the now" is zero, and zero is Zen. But, as long as the zero remains a zero, we may say that Zen is not yet there in its fullness. The zero is to move on to 1 (one), 1 to 2, 2 to 3, and so on, making up an infinite series of natural numbers. Zen is then for the first time seized upon in its full power, for Zen is this process itself,

　

　

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incessantly and eternally moving on and on. When the process is cut into pieces such as 1,2,3 . . . n, it forms a finite series which is called time or space or both, but this seriality is not to be identified with Zen. Zen indeed reveals itself not only in the zero as it remains in itself but in each number as it unfolds itself out of the zero and further also in the process of unfoldment. Zen itself knows no discontinuity, no seriality, for this is the work of intellection. Even intellection, however, can be identified with Zen in so far as it is the process of intellectual unfoldment. In fact, Zen is encountered everywhere if we keep our praj~naa-eye fully open.

　　 There are some more points I would like to discuss in connection with Dr. Ames's suggestive paper on Zen. For instance, I would like to have written on Zen morality, if there is such a thing. I would have liked also   to add a word about the Zen concept of purposelessness. But if one understands that Zen is something prior to science, philosophy, and all other intellectual disciplines, and, further, that every form of intellection starts from this primary Zen experience, we can, I hope, finally understand what Zen is and also the meaning of the master's stick and his "nonsensical" ejaculations. For all this let me wait for another occasion.