One day a monastic asked Master Woonmun, “How should a monastic behave?” The master said, “I don’t know.” The monastic asked again, “Why do you just say that you don’t know?” The master answered, “Saying that I don’t know is all I have to say.”
Student: “Why did Woonmun say that he didn’t know when he was asked how a monastic should behave?”
Master: “He showed in person how a monastic should behave.”
Commentary:
A monastic’s behaviour should be an act that cannot be said.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Zen Fools 