Killing and Giving Life

Once, Jiashan sent a monk to Shishuang's temple. The monk stood straddling the gate and said, "I don't understand!"

Shishuang said, "Your Reverence, there's no need."

The monk then said, "In that case, I'll say farewell."

The monk then went to Yantou's temple.

Acting as before, he said, "I don't understand."

Yantou gave out a great roar.

The monk said, "In that case, I'll say farewell."

Yantou said, "Although he's young, he's capable."

The monk went back and reported to Jiashan.

Jiashan entered the hall and said to the monks, "Will the monk who yesterday came back from Shishuang's and Yantou's places please come forward and tell the story as he did before?"

The monk came forward and told his story.

Jiashan said, "Does anyone in the congregation understand this?"

The assembly was silent.

Jiashan said, "If no one will speak, then I'm not afraid to risk losing my eyebrows by doing so!"

Then Jiashan said, "Although Shishuang has the knife that kills, he doesn't have the sword that gives life. Yantou has the knife that kills as well as the sword that gives life!"

- Andy Ferguson's Zen's Chinese Heritage

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Don't let anyone change you, beautiful people!

Submitted June 10, 2020 at 05:11PM by sje397 https://ift.tt/37fnSYP