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These koans, or
parables, were translated into English from a book called the Shaseki-shu
(Collection of Stone and Sand), written late in the thirteenth century
by the Japanese Zen teacher Muju (the "non-dweller"), and from anecdotes
of Zen monks taken from various books published in Japan around
the turn of the 20th century.
31. Everything
Is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation
between a butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You
cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
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32. Inch Time Foot Gem
A lord asked Takuan, a Zen Teacher, to suggest how he might
pass the time. He felt his days very long attending his office
and sitting stiffly to receive the homage of others.
Takuan wrote eight Chinese characters and gave them to the man:
Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again.
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
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33. Mokusen's Hand
Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba.
One of his adherents complained of the stinginess of his wife.
Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched
fist before her face.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the surprised woman.
"Suppose my fist were always like that. What would you call
it?" he asked.
"Deformed," replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand flat in her face and asked: "Suppose
it were always like that. What then?"
"Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"If you understand that much," finished Mokusen, "you are a
good wife." Then he left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husband to distribute
as well as to save.
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34. A Smile in His Lifetime
Mokugen was never known to smile until his last day on earth.
When his time came to pass away he said to his faithful ones:
"You have studied under me for more than ten years. Show me
your real interpretation of Zen. Whoever expresses this most
clearly shall be my successor and receive my robe and bowl."
Everyone watched Mokugen's severe face, but no one answered.
Encho, a disciple who had been with his teacher for a long time,
moved near the bedside. He pushed forward the medicine cup a
few inches. That was his answer to the command.
The teacher's face became even more severe. "Is that all you
understand?" he asked.
Encho reached out and moved the cup back again.
A beautiful smile broke over the features of Mokugen. "You rascal,"
he told Encho. "You worked with me ten years and have not yet
seen my whole body. Take the robe and bowl. They belong to you."
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35. Every-Minute Zen
Zen students are with their masters at least ten years before
they presume to teach others. Nan-in was visited by Tenno, who,
having passed his apprenticeship, had become a teacher. The
day happened to be rainy, so Tenno wore wooden clogs and carried
an umbrella. After greeting him Nan-in remarked: "I suppose
you left your wooden clogs in the vestibule. I want to know
if your umbrella is on the right or left side of the clogs."
Tenno, confused, had no instant answer. He realized that he
was unable to carry his Zen every minute. He became Nan-in's
pupil, and he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute
Zen.
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36. Flower Shower
Subhuti was Buddha's disciple. He was able to understand the
potency of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists except
in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity.
One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, was sitting
under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.
"We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness," the gods
whispered to him.
"But I have not spoken of emptiness," said Subhuti.
"You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness,"
responded the gods. "This is the true emptiness." And blossoms
showered upon Subhuti as rain.
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37. Publishing the Sutras
Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the
sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The
books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven
thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking.
Tetsugen began by traveling and collecting donations for this
purpose. A few sympathizers would give him a hundred pieces
of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins.
He thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years
Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.
It happened that at that time the Uji Rive overflowed. Famine
followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books
and spent them to save others from starvation. Then he began
again his work of collecting.
Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country.
Tetsugen again gave away what he had collected, to help his
people. For a third time he started his work, and after twenty
years his wish was fulfilled. The printing blocks which produced
the first edition of sutras can be seen today in the Obaku monastery
in Kyoto.
The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sets
of sutras, and that the first two invisible sets surpass even
the last.
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38. Gisho's Work
Gisho was ordained as a nun when she was just ten years old.
She received training just as the little boys did. When she
reached the age of sixteen she traveled from one Zen master
to another, studying with them all.
She remained three years with Unzan, six years with Gukei, but
was unable to obtain a clear vision. At last she went to the
master Inzan.
Inzan showed her no distinction at all on account of her sex.
He scolded her like a thunderstorm. He cuffed he to awaken her
inner nature.
Gisho remained with Inzan thirteen years, and then she found
that which she was seeking!
In her honor, Inzan wrote a poem:
This nun studied thirteen years under my guidance.
In the evening she considered the deepest koans,
In the morning she was wrapped in other koans.
The Chinese nun Tetsuma surpassed all before her,
And since Mujaku none has been so genuine as this Gisho!
Yet there are many more gates for her to pass through.
She should receive still more blows from my iron fist.
After Gisho was enlightened she went to the province of Banshu,
started her own Zen temple, and taught two hundred other nuns
until she passed away one year in the month of August.
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39. Sleeping in the Daytime
The master Soyen Shaku passed from this world when he was sixty-one
years of age. Fulfilling his life's work, he left a great teaching,
far richer than that of most Zen masters. His pupils used to
sleep in the daytime during midsummer, and while he overlooked
this he himself never wasted a minute.
When he was but twelve years old he was already studying Tendai
philosophical speculation. One summer day the air had been so
sultry that little Soyen stretched his legs and went to sleep
while his teacher was away.
Three hours passed when, suddenly waking, he heard his master
enter, but it was too late. There he lay, sprawled across the
doorway.
"I beg your pardon, I beg your pardon," his teacher whispered,
stepping carefully over Soyen's body as if it were that of some
distinguished guest. After this, Soyen never slept again in
the afternoon.
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40. In Dreamland
"Our schoolmaster used to take a nap every afternoon," related
a disciple of Soyen Shaku. "We children asked him why he did
it and he told us: 'I go to dreamland to meet the old sages
just as Confucius did.' When Confucius slept, he would dream
of ancient sages and later tell his followers about them.
"It was extremely hot one day so some of us took a nap. Our
schoolmaster scolded us. 'We went to dreamland to meet the ancient
sages the same as Confucius did,' we explained. 'What was the
message from those sages?' our schoolmaster demanded. One of
us replied: 'We went to dreamland and met the sages and asked
them if our schoolmaster came there every afternoon, but they
said they had never seen any such fellow."
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