The Sixth Ancestor, Huineng, went to Faxing Monastery, where the temple flag was waving in the wind. Two monastics were arguing about whether it was the wind or the temple flag that was moving. They discussed this back and forth but could not agree on the truth of the matter. The Sixth Ancestor, seeing this, said, “It’s neither the wind nor the flag that is moving. It’s your mind that is moving.” The two monastics were immediately awestruck.
Student: “The Sixth ancestor said, ‘It’s neither the wind nor the flag but your mind that is moving’. Then, what is mind?”
Master: “The wind and the flag.”
Commentary:
The wind and the flag are to mind as a breeze and a storm are to air.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
#zen #meditation #zenmeditation #enlightened #enlightenment #zenfools #photography
Zen Fools 