Caoshan was once asked by a monastic, “A child went back to her parent. Why didn’t the parent pay attention to her?” Caoshan said, “It is quite natural just like that.” The monastic said, “Then where is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “The love between parent and child.” The monastic said, “What is the love between parent and child?” Caoshan said, “It cannot be split apart, even when hit with an axe.”
Student: “When did the child come back to the parent?”
Master: “The child has never left the parent’s breast.”
Student: “Why can’t the love between parent and child be split apart even with an axe?”
Master: “Because there is no love since there is no between them.”
Commentary:
Love is not love, it is just called as such.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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