Guy, > >>>Had he spoken a single word he would have failed the questions, his action >>>in >>>the moment spoke louder. > >I was simply going to ask you, "Who says?", but Edgar and ED already did that >in >in a round-about way. Instead, let me leave you this koan to save you getting >your finger cut off at some later date ; ) > >Fa-yen asked the monk Hsüan-tzu why he had never asked him any questions >aboutZen. The monk explained that he had already attained his understanding >from >another master. Pressed by Fa-yen for an explanation, the monk said that when >he >had asked his teacher, “What is the Buddha?” he had received the answer, >“Ping-ting T’ung-tzu comes for fire!” >“A good answer!” said Fa-yen. “But I’m sure you don’t understand it.” >“Ping-ting,” explained the monk, “is the god of fire. For him to be seeking >fire >is like myself, seeking the Buddha. I’m the Buddha already, and no asking is >needed.” >“Just as I thought!” laughed Fa-yen. “You didn’t get it.” >The monk was so offended that he left the monastery, but later repented of >himself and returned, humbly requesting instruction. >“You ask me,” said Fa-yen. >“What is the Buddha?” inquired the monk. >“Ping-ting T’ung-tzu comes for fire!” Mike
