Guishan’s Gift
Guishan said to Yangshan, “I have a lay student who gave me three rolls of silk to buy a temple bell in order to bestow happiness upon the people of the world.”
Yangshan said, “When the lay student brought you the silk for the temple bell, what did you give him in return?” Guishan hit the sitting platform three times and said, “This was my offering.”
Student: “What is the offering Guishan made for his lay student?”
Master: “It belongs to everyone.”
Student: “Why did Guishan give it to him if it belongs to everyone?”
Master: “He found him what he had lost.”
Commentary:
Buddha came to us not for giving us what we don’t have, but for letting us know what we have.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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