POETICIZE THE GOOD? ECCENTRICITY OF ENLIGHTENED ZEN CHARACTERS

An enlightened Zen master, after a period of reclusive life in monastery or wildness, often chooses to return to the society and mingle with people. The tenth ox-herding picture attempts to depict this scenario, in which an enlightened one, with an eccentric appearance, seems to be making a deal in a market place. The eccentric trait seems to reflect a Zen’s style of character and spiritual transmission with people. Eccentricity is a manifestation of enlightenment with a transformed personality and extraordinary capability in interaction with people. We will examine three aspects of the eccentric nature of Zen characters: the non-positional stand, the intriguing laugh, and the appearance of foolishness. The eccentricity of Zen is vividly exemplified by Ji-gong, one of the most colorful Zen characters in the history of both Chinese Buddhism and the popular culture. The paper suggests that the spirituality of Zen allows its ethics to take an aesthetic form.