Dongshan Liangjie once invited head monastic Tai to have fruit with him and asked, “There is something that holds the sky above and the ground beneath. It is as black as lacquer. It is always in activity but cannot be received within activity. Tell me, where is the fault?” The head monastic said, “The fault is activity.” Dongshan shouted and then had the attendant take the fruit away.
Student: “What was the head monastic’s fault?”
Master: “When Dongshan pointed to the moon, he looked at his finger instead of the moon.”
Student: “What would you have said if you had been the head monastic?”
Master: “I would have said, ‘I have neither eyes nor ears’.”
Commentary:
Seeing and hearing are the source of all faults.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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