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 the woman say that Joshu had read only half of the Sutra?”
Master: “She interpreted what Joshu had read for sentient beings.”
Commentary:
Praise is not different from blame.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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