An old woman sent her servant to deliver alms to Master Joshu and told him to request the master to read the whole Sutra. The master descended from the high seat and walked around the high seat once in a circle. Then, he said, “I have read the whole the Sutra.” When the servant told her what had happened, she said, “I wonder why he just read just half of the Sutra although I requested him to read the whole Sutra.”
Student: “Why did Joshu walk around the high seat once in a circle?”
Master: “Because you heard only half of what Joshu read.”
Commentary:
The Sutra has no words, which ought to be heard with eyes and seen with ears.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
Zen Fools 