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71.Teaching the Ultimate
In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with candles
inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered a lantern to carry
home with him.
"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me."
"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend replied, "but if
you don't have one, someone else may run into you. So you must take it."
The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far
someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to
the stranger. "Can't you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
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72.Trading Dialogue For Lodging
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those who live there,
any wandering monk can remain in a Zen temple. If he is defeated, he has to move
on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks were dwelling
together. The elder one was learned, but the younger one was stupid and had but
one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a
debate about the sublime teaching. The elder brother, tired that day from much
studying, told the younger one to take his place. "Go and request the dialogue
in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder brother and said:
"Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the traveler, "first I held up one finger, representing
Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and
his teaching. I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and
his followers, living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist in my
face, indicating that all three come from one realization. Thus he won and so I
have no right to remain here." With this, the traveler left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running in to his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder one.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting me by insinuating
that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to
him, so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the
impolite wretch held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have
three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that ended
it!"
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73.The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master's temple
told a friend: "Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must
judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone
congratulate another upon his happiness or success, I also hear a secret tone of
envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear
pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was
something left to gain in his own world.
"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he
expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed
sorrow, sorrow was all I heard."
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74.Open Your Own Treasure House
Daiju visited the master Baso in China. Baso asked: "What do you seek?"
"Enlightenment," replied Daiju.
"You have your own treasure house. Why do you search outside?" Baso asked.
Daiju inquired: "Where is my treasure house?"
Baso answered: "What you are asking is your treasure house."
Daiju was delighted! Ever after he urged his friends: "Open your own treasure
house and use those treasures.
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75.No Water, No Moon
When the nun Chiyono studied Zen under Bukko of Engaku she was unable to attain
the fruits of meditation for a long time.
At last one moonlit night she was carrying water in an old pail bound with
bamboo. The bamboo broke and the bottom fell out of the pail, and at that moment
Chiyono was set free!
In commemoration, she wrote a poem:
In this way and that I tried to save the old pail
Since the bamboo strip was weakening and about to break
Until at last the bottom fell out.
No more water in the pail!
No more moon in the water!
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76.Calling Card
Keichu, the great Zen teacher of the Meiji era, was the head of Tofuku, a
cathedral in Kyoto. One day the governor of Kyoto called upon him for the first
time.
His attendant presented the card of the governor, which read: Kitagaki, Governor
of Kyoto.
"I have no business with such a fellow," said Keichu to his attendant. "Tell him
to get out of here."The attendant carried the card back with apologies. "That
was my error," said the governor, and with a pencil he scratched out the words
Governor of Kyoto. "Ask your teacher again."
"Oh, is that Kitagaki?" exclaimed the teacher when he saw the card. "I want to
see that fellow."
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77.Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a
butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You cannot find here
any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
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78.Mokusen's Hand
Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba. One of his
adherents complained of the stinginess of his wife.
Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched fist before her
face.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the surprised woman.
"Suppose my fist were always like that. What would you call it?" he asked.
"Deformed," replied the woman.
The he opened his hand flat in her face and asked: "Suppose it were always like
that. What then?"
"Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"If you understand that much," finished Mokusen, "you are a good wife." Then he
left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husband to distribute as well as to save.
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79.Joshu's Zen
Joshu began the study of Zen when he was sixty years old and continued until he
was eighty, when he realized Zen.
He taught from the age of eighty until he was one hundred and twenty.
A student once asked him: "If I haven't anything in my mind, what shall I do?"
Joshu replied: "Throw it out."
"But if I haven't anything, how can I throw it out?" continued the questioner.
"Well," said Joshu, "then carry it out."
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80.The Thief Who Became a Disciple
One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras a thief with a sharp sword
entered, demanding either money or his life.
Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that drawer."
Then he resumed his recitation.
A little while afterwards he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I need some
to pay taxes with tomorrow."
The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave. "Thank a person
when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man thanked him and made off.
A few days afterwards the fellow was caught and confessed, among others, the
offence against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a witness he said: "This
man is no thief, at least as far as I am concerned. I gave him money and he
thanked me for it."
After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and became his
disciple
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