21. The Sound
of One Hand
The master of
Kennin temple was Mokurai, Silent Thunder. He had a little protege
named Toyo who was only twelve years old. Toyo saw the older
disciples visit the master's room each morning and evening to
receive instruction in sanzen or personal guidance in which
they were given koans to stop mind-wandering.
Toyo wished to do sanzen also.
"Wait a while," said Mokurai. "You are too young."
But the child insisted, so the teacher finally consented.
In the evening little Toyo went at the proper time to the threshold
of Mokurai's sanzen room. He struck the gong to announce his
presence, bowed respectfully three times outside the door, and
went to sit before the master in respectful silence.
"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together,"
said Mokurai. "Now show me the sound of one hand."
Toyo bowed and went to his room to consider this problem. From
his window he could hear the music of the geishas. "Ah, I have
it!" he proclaimed.
The next evening, when his teacher asked him to illustrate the
sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.
"No, no," said Mokurai. "That will never do. That is not the
sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."
Thinking that such music might interrupt, Toyo moved his abode
to a quiet place. He meditated again. "What can the sound of
one hand be?" He happened to hear some water dripping. "I have
it," imagined Toyo.
When he next appeared before his teacher, Toyo imitated dripping
water.
"What is that?" asked Mokurai. "That is the sound of dripping
water, but not the sound of one hand. Try again."
In vain Toyo meditated to hear the sound of one hand. He heard
the sighing of the wind. But the sound was rejected.
He heard the cry of an owl. This also was refused.
The sound of one hand was not the locusts.
For more than ten times Toyo visited Mokurai with different
sounds. All were wrong. For almost a year he pondered what the
sound of one hand might be.
At last little Toyo entered true meditation and transcended
all sounds. "I could collect no more," he explained later, "so
I reached the soundless sound."
Toyo had realized the sound of one hand.
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22. My Heart Burns Like Fire
Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said:
"My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes."
He made the following rules which he practiced every day of
his life.
In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.
Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals.
Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.
Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone.
When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving
guests.
Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.
When an opportunity comes do not let it pass by, yet always
think twice before acting.
Do not regret the past. Look to the future.
Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of
a child.
Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep.
Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you
had cast away a pair of old shoes.
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23. Eshun's Departure
When Eshun, the Zen nun, was past sixty and about to leave this
world, she asked some monks to pile up wood in the yard.
Seating herself firmly in the center of the funeral pyre, she
had it set fire around the edges.
"O nun!" shouted one monk, "is it hot in there?"
"Such a matter would concern only a stupid person like yourself,"
answered Eshun.
The flames arose, and she passed away.
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24. Reciting Sutras
A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his
wife, who had died. After the recitation was over the farmer
asked: "Do you think my wife will gain merit from this?"
"Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from
the recitation of sutras," answered the priest.
"If you say all sentient beings will benefit," said the farmer,
"my wife may be very weak and others will take advantage of
her, getting the benefit she should have. So please recite sutras
just for her."
The priest explained that it was the desire of a Buddhist to
offer blessings and wish merit for every living being.
"That is a fine teaching," concluded the farmer, "but please
make one exception. I have a neighbor who is rough and mean
to me. Just exclude him from all those sentient beings."
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25. Three Days More
Suiwo, the disciple of Hakuin, was a good teacher. During one
summer seclusion period, a pupil came to him from a southern
island of Japan.
Suiwo gave him the problem: "Hear the sound of one hand."
The pupil remained three years but could not pass this test.
One night he came in tears to Suiwo. "I must return south in
shame and embarrassment," he said, "for I cannot solve my problem."
"Wait one week more and meditate constantly," advised Suiwo.
Still no enlightenment came to the pupil. "Try for another week,"
said Suiwo. The pupil obeyed, but in vain.
"Still another week." Yet this was of no avail. In despair the
student begged to be released, but Suiwo requested another meditation
of five days. They were without result. Then he said: "Meditate
for three days longer, then if you fail to attain enlightenment,
you had better kill yourself."
On the second day the pupil was enlightened.
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26. Trading Dialogue for Lodging
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those
who live there, any wondering monk can remain in a Zen temple.
If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks
were dwelling together. The elder one was learned, but the younger
one was stupid and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging
them to a debate about the sublime teachings. The elder brother,
tired that day from much studying, told the younger one to take
his place. "Go and request the dialogue in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat
down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder
brother and said: "Your young brother is a wonderful fellow.
He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the traveler, "first I held up one finger,
representing Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two
fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching. I held up three
fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers,
living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist
in my face, indicating that all three come from one realization.
Thus he won and so I have no right to remain here." With this,
the traveler left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running in to
his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder one.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting
me by insinuating that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger
I thought I would be polite to him, so I held up two fingers,
congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the impolite wretch
held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have
three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran
out and that ended it!"
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27. The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the
master's temple told a friend:
"Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must
judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when
I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or success,
I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed
for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction,
as if the one condoling was really glad there was something
left to gain in his own world.
"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere.
Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness,
and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard."
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28. Open Your
Own Treasure House
Daiju visited the master Baso in China. Baso asked: "What do
you seek?"
"Enlightenment," replied Daiju.
"You have your own treasure house. Why do you search outside?"
Baso asked.
Daiju inquired: "Where is my treasure house?"
Baso answered: "What you are asking is your treasure house."
Daiju was enlightened! Ever after he urged his friends: "Open
your own tresure house and use those treasures."
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29. No Water, No Moon
When the nun Chiyono studied Zen under Bukko of Engaku she was
unable to attain the fruits of meditation for a long time.
At last one moonlit night she was carrying water in an old pail
bound with bamboo. The bamboo broke and the bottom fell out
of the pail, and at that moment Chiyono was set free!
In commemoration, she wrote a poem:
In this way and that I tried to save the old pail
Since the bamboo strip was weakening and about
to break
Until at last the bottom fell out.
No more water in the pail!
No more moon in the water!
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30. Calling Card
Keichu, the great Zen teacher of the Meiji era, was the head
of Tofuku, a cathedral in Kyoto. One day the governor of Kyoto
called upon him for the first time.
His attendant presented the card of the governor, which read:
Kitagaki, Governor of Kyoto.
"I have no business with such a fellow," said Keichu to his
attendant. "Tell him to get out of here."
The attendant carried the card back with apologies. "That was
my error," said the governor, and with a pencil he scratched
out the words Governor of Kyoto. "Ask your teacher again."
"Oh, is that Kitagaki?" exclaimed the teacher when he saw the
card. "I want to see that fellow."
