Rinzai 9
The master went close to him and said, “How goes it?” Magog hesitated.
The master in turn pulled Magog down from the seat and resumed his place.
Magog left, and so did the master.
Commentary:
Rinzai countered Magog by going close to him and saying, “How goes it?”, which implies, “This is my answer to your question. Can you see what my answer means?” Magog responded to Rinzai’s by pretending to hesitate, which also means, “This is my answer to your question. Can you see what I mean?” This time Rinzai, by pulling Magog down from the seat and resuming his place, answered Magog’s question. This answer too, is not only an answer but also a question ‘Do you know what I mean by this answer?’. Magog wanted to finish the demonstration by answering Rinzai’s question by leaving the place and Rinzai, sensing his intention, answered Magog’s final question by also leaving.
You should know that these two great masters took the trouble to roll in a puddle of mud in order to show the Avalokitesvara, the true-Self to the assembly. Their words and actions are just mud. You should not be deluded by it but see what is beneath it. In other words, to see the Avalokitesvara they revealed, you should see and hear what is beyond their words and actions.
Student: “You say that the two masters took the trouble to show Avalokitesvara, the true-Self, but I still cannot discern Him.”
Master: “What a shame! I showed you Avalokitesvara. Why do you slander me as if I had talked about the masters?”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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