The grasp left Daigu and returned to Obaku who, seeing him come, remarked, “When will there be an finish to the comings and goings of this fellow?” Rinzai mentioned, “It is just due to your grandmotherly kindness.” Then, after the standard courtesies, he stood to take care of Obaku. The latter requested the place he had come from and the grasp replied, “The opposite day you have been type sufficient to ship me to Daigu for an interview.” Obaku requested, “What did Daigu say?” Rinzai then associated what had occurred, whereupon Obaku mentioned, “How can I await this fellow to come back right here and provides him a harsh blow?” Rinzai mentioned, “You don’t have to attend for him to come back. Give it to him proper now!” and punched Obaku accordingly, who mentioned, “This madman who comes right here to stroke the tiger’s whiskers.” Rinzai gave a Katsu and Obaku referred to as, “Attendant, carry this madman into the monks’ quarters.”
Commentary:
With the phrases ‘When will there be an finish to the comings and goings of this fellow?’ Obaku was testing the results of Rinzai’s journey to Daigu. Though their literal that means is ‘If you happen to spend time coming and going solely following phrases, when are you able to end your apply?’, Obaku was asking Rinzai if he knew that these phrases have been the operate of the true-Self. Rinzai, conscious of Obaku’s intention, didn’t hesitate to reply by saying, “It is just due to your grandmotherly kindness.” Rinzai not solely expressed his gratitude to Obaku but additionally revealed the true-Self. With the phrase ‘How can I await this fellow to come back right here and provides him a harsh blow?’ it could seem as if Obaku blamed and located fault with Daigu, however Obaku was testing Rinzai’s enlightenment. He was asking Rinzai if he knew that this fellow, seemingly referring to Daigu, was the true-Self as a result of every thing is the true-Self. Acutely aware of Obaku’s intention, Rinzai mentioned, “You don’t have to attend for him to come back. Give it to him proper now!” as a result of he knew that Obaku meant the true-Self by ‘this fellow’ and so revealed the true-Self by punching him. Rinzai confirmed that his hitting Obaku was not totally different from Obaku’s hitting Daigu when every thing is one because the true-Self. Obaku accredited Rinzai’s enlightenment by saying, “This madman who comes right here to stroke the tiger’s whiskers.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All photographs ©Simon Hathaway
