Just today, in a German scholarly magazine, a well-known psychoanalyst has compared me with Jesus. Far away in Germany, that psychoanalyst is more up-to-date about the story that has happened than the Mahabodhi Society. He says, “Just as the Jews could not tolerate Jesus, you will not be tolerated – particularly by the Buddhists.” A simple insight….

But I am not claiming to be a reincarnation. I am not claiming anything except that the wandering soul of Gautam Buddha has visited me for four days.

Tathagat, who is the in-charge of this commune – please write underneath “Gautama the Buddha Auditorium,” in brackets: “In the memory of his visitation for four days to this commune.” Before it and after it, it is none of my concern.

And Maneesha, you should not use only the word Buddha. You should use my full name, “Zorba the Buddha.” That way, I am disconnected from every organized religion. I am just myself, and to be myself is not a sin.

I have my own approach to reality. I have said many times that Zorba is half, and Buddha is half. I am a whole human being. I accept the reality of the outer existence, and I love it. And I accept the reality of the inner world. To me, both are one. Neither the inner can exist without the outer – what will be the meaning of the inner without the outer? – nor can the outer exist without the inner; they are two wings of a bird. Only with two wings the bird can fly across the sun in the vast sky of existence.

The sutra:

Beloved Zorba the Buddha,
A non-Buddhist scholar, meeting Master Daizui, gave him a bowl. A monk observing this asked Daizui, “What did you use before he presented you with the bowl?”
Daizui said, “I used the one I shall use on my last day on earth.”

Daizui’s answer is not literally relevant to the question, but Zen has no concern for literal or logical or rational approaches. It takes quantum leaps.

Daizui said, “I used the one I shall use on my last day on earth.”

It was a simple thing that has been asked. A non-Buddhist scholar has given him a bowl – Buddhist monks use a bowl for begging. A monk, observing that Daizui has accepted the bowl, asked, “What did you use before he presented you with the bowl?”

The reason for his question is that Buddha has given the discipline of non-possession. If you already have a bowl you should not accept another, because it is absolutely useless. Or you should dispose of the first bowl, give it to some other monk who has none – but don’t collect things.

That is why the monk asks, “What have you been using up to now?”

Daizui changed the whole dimension of the question. He said, “I used the one I shall use on my last day on earth.”