One time, Zen Master Seung Sahn said:

I don't teach Korean or Mahayana or Zen. I don't even teach Buddhism. I only teach don't know. Fifty years here and there teaching only don't know. So only don't know, okay?



This don't know forms the core of all Buddhist teaching. Don't know is a rendering of prajna, the Sanskrit term that we usually translate as "wisdom." Literally, prajna means "before thinking" (pra=before; jna=thought).

The Greek philosopher Socrates used to teach, "You must understand your true self."

One time someone asked Socrates, "Teacher, do you understand your true self?"

Socrates replied, "I don't know. But I also understand this don't know."

Similarly, when the Indian monk Bodhidharma came to China, he was brought before Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty for an interview.

As the interview proceeded, the emperor became increasingly irritated with Bodhidharma and finally challenged him.

"Who are you?" he shouted at Bodhidharma. The monk simply said, "Don't know" and ended the interview.

Socrates' don't know, Bodhidharma's don't know, and Seung Sahn's don't know - are they the same or different?

For many years, Zen Master Seung Sahn carried on an extensive correspondence with students around the world. He ended each of his letters with these words, summarizing his entire teaching:

I hope from moment to moment you only go straight, don't know, which is clear like space, try, try, try for ten thousand years, non-stop, get enlightenment, and save all beings from suffering.

What could be more important?

Calligraphy by Jakusho Kwang, Roshi, a close friend of Zen Master Seung Sahn