When Rinzai was standing by Tokusan as his attendant, Tokusan remarked, “Today I am tired.” Rinzai said, “What is this old fellow mumbling in his sleep?” Tokusan hit him. Rinzai upended Tokusan’s seat cushion. Tokusan retired.
Commentary:
Tokusan tested Rinzai to see whether he could recognise the true-Self without being deluded by words by remarking, “Today I am tired.” Rinzai lost no time in responding by saying, “What is this old fellow mumbling in his sleep?”, which means, “My saying is the very true-Self you meant by saying, ‘Today I am tired’. Being deluded by forms and words is like mumbling during sleep.” Tokusan tested Rinzai again by hitting him, who responded to Tokusan’s hitting by upending Tokusan’s seat cushion.
Student: “I sometimes say, ‘I am tired’. What is the difference between my words and Tokusan’s?”
Master: “He was aware of the one who is not tired while you only know the one who is tired.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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