One day when Yangshan was a novice, he was reciting a Sutra. Shaozhou said, “Yangshan, your chanting sounds like weeping.” Yangshan replied, “This is how I do it, Master. I wonder how you would do it.” Shaozhou just looked around. Yangshan said, “If you chant like that, how is it different from weeping?” Shaozhou was silenced and walked away.
Student: “Why did Shaozhou just look around when he was asked how he would chant the Sutra?”
Master: “He showed how to chant the Sutra.”
Commentary:
Reciting what is not written in the Sutra is true chanting.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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