Sooner or later the Rinzai and Fuke went to a vegetarian banquet given to them by a believer. Through the meal, the grasp requested Fuke, “‘A hair swallows the huge ocean, a mustard seed comprises Mt. Sumeru’ – does this occur via supernatural powers, or is the essence like this?” Fuke kicked over the desk. The grasp mentioned, “Tough fellow.” Fuke retorted, “What place is that this right here to talk of tough and refined?” The subsequent day, they went once more to a vegetarian banquet. Throughout that meal, the grasp requested, “As we speak’s fare, how does it examine with yesterday’s?” Fuke kicked over the desk once more. The grasp mentioned, “Perceive it you do – however nonetheless, you’re a tough fellow.” Fuke replied, “Blind fellow, does one preach of any roughness or finesse within the Buddha-Dharma?” The grasp clicked his tongue.
Commentary:
With a view to perceive Fuke’s reply to Rinzai’s query, we should always know the core which means of Rinzai’s query above all. To rephrase Rinzai’s query, when all the things is empty, not solely a hair and the huge ocean however a mustard seed and Mt. Sumeru are additionally empty. When all of them are empty, there isn’t any distinction amongst them in any respect. Rinzai requested Fuke if he knew this precept. Fuke answered by kicking over the desk, which suggests ‘My kicking over this desk just isn’t completely different from a hair swallowing the huge ocean and a mustard seed containing Mt. Sumeru’. When there isn’t any distinction between a hair and the huge ocean, there can’t be any distinction between being tough and being refined since all of them are simply illusions.
Within the realm of Vacancy, the true-Self, all the things is empty and there’s no idea of time corresponding to yesterday and at present. Extra strictly talking, there’s not solely nobody who can examine issues but in addition nothing to match. That’s, there’s nothing however the true-Self, Vacancy. Fuke meant, “No matter you say and no matter occurs are all of the perform of the true-Self” by revealing the true-Self via kicking over the desk. When Rinzai responded, “You’re a tough fellow” to be able to take a look at whether or not Fuke can be deluded by his phrases, Fuke properly countered, “Blind fellow, does one preach of any roughness or finesse within the Buddha-Dharma?” Rinzai accredited his reply by clicking his tongue.
Pupil: “Why did Fuke at all times kick over the desk when he was questioned by Rinzai?”
Grasp: “With a view to present what can’t be kicked over.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All photos ©Simon Hathaway
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