A. Enlightenment.
Commentary:
Master gave food that was too rich.
It is impossible to swallow or spit it out.
Don’t say that your master said ‘enlightenment’.
You will be laughed at by others.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. It has neither a head nor a tail.
Commentary:
Do you wonder how it can see and speak when it has no head?
It has nothing to see and speak of when it has no head.
A wind finds its way even though it has no eyes,
Makes sounds even though it has no mouth,
And shakes things even though it has no hands.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Master: “All the things in the universe come from it.”
Student: “Then, are you from it, too?”
Master: “Of course.”
Student: “You are from your mother, Sir.”
Master: “My mother is also from it.”
Commentary:
One arrow and many targets.
Every time the student opens his mouth, targets multiply.
Which one should he shoot?
Take a close look at the point of your arrow.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Master: “I can’t answer such a difficult question.”
Student: “What is an easy question, Sir?”
Master: “That is too easy a question to answer.”
Student: “What question shall I ask you then, Sir?”
Master: “Ask me a question which is neither difficult nor easy.”
Commentary:
What is a question which is neither easy nor difficult?
How charitable the master is by giving a delicious and nutritious fish to a poor person!
Why is he struggling with its bone without eating its meat?
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Don’t think that you can’t see it. You are seeing and hearing it even at this moment. You can’t avoid seeing and hearing it. The key problem is that you can’t discern it because your eyes and ears are covered with illusions. Never think that your true-self is somewhere else out of your reach. There is nothing that doesn’t belong to your true-self. Even you yourself are not an exception. Whatever you do, cry, smile, commit a cruel crime or do good deeds, they are all actions of your true-self. In summary, you can no more get away from your true-self even for a moment than you can get away from the universe. So if you chase it for a moment, it is said, you will be going the wrong way.
Student: “What is the true-self like, Sir?”
Master: “Why do you ask me the taste of your saliva in your mouth?”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Master: “I won’t answer.”
Student: “Why not?”
Master: Because I know that you won’t believe in my answer.
Student: “Tell me the answer, sir. I will accept it.”
Master: “I answered.”
Commentary:
The master is not telling a lie. Don’t break into pieces what he says.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Master: “A piece of cake.”
Student: “What is it like?”
Master: “When small, it is smaller than a mustard seed.
When large, larger than the whole universe.”
Commentary:
It is neither large nor small since it has no boundary.
It never moves however hard we try to lift it, but it is not heavy at all.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
A. Master: “Take a look carefully.”
Student: “What shall I look at?”
Master: “Listen carefully.”
Commentary:
Don’t seek to approach it.
If you put your face near it in order to see it closely, you will have your face burnt.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway.
A. Master: “Go and ask Tom, your senior.”
(He goes to Tom and asks him.)
Student: “What are you when your body is not you?”
Tom: “Go and ask my friend, John. I can’t tell you the answer now because I have a bad headache.”
(He goes to John and asks him.)
Student: “What are you when your body is not you?”
John: “I can’t tell you the answer since I am busy now. Why don’t you ask such a question of the master?”
(He returns to the master and tells him what Tom and John said to him.)
Master: “Tom’s hair is white, and John’s hair is black.”
Commentary:
A dog dashes to the stone when it is thrown to it but a lion to the thrower.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway.
Zen Fools 