At some point throughout the work interval, Rinzai was final within the row. Obaku appeared again and noticed that Rinzai was empty-handed. “The place is your hoe?” Obaku requested. “Somebody has gone off with it,” replied Rinzai. Obaku mentioned, “Come right here and we’ll discuss it.” When Rinzai got here close to, Obaku lifted his hoe excessive and mentioned, “No one on this planet can take this away from me.” Rinzai then grabbed the hoe, held it excessive and mentioned, “How come it’s now in my hand?” Obaku mentioned, “Right now there’s one who works with all his would possibly,” and returned to the monastery.
Commentary:
When Obaku, seeing Rinzai empty-handed, requested the place his hoe was, he requested him not about his hoe however concerning the true-Self. Sensing Obaku’s intention, Rinzai revealed the true-Self by saying, ‘Somebody has gone off with it’. Obaku refuted Rinzai’s phrases by saying, ‘No one on this planet can take this away from me’. Obaku was testing Rinzai to see if he was deluded by phrases and kinds. Rinzai responded by grabbing the hoe, holding it excessive and saying, ‘How come it’s now in my hand?’ By this he meant, “I do know you imply the true-Self. That is the true-Self through which giving shouldn’t be totally different from taking since there isn’t a giving and no taking.” Then, Obaku authorised him by saying, ‘Right now there’s one who works with all his would possibly’. One who works all along with his would possibly implies an enlightened one who’s conscious that he’s one with every part.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All photographs ©Simon Hathaway
