One day a young monk visited a master. He had already met many other famous masters before. The master asked him, “How many masters did you meet before you came here?” The young monk listed the names of the ten masters who he had met previously. The master said,” All of them are impostors.” The monk asked, “How do you know that they were impostors if you did not see them?” The master replied, “Thanks to you.”
Student: “Why did the master refer to the other masters the young monk had met as imposters?”
Master: “Because the young monk only saw the imposters.”
Student: “Who were the ten masters he had met?”
Master: “The master was showing them to the young monk.”
Commentary:
Don’t be beguiled by the imposters disguised as the Buddha.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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