Xutang: Published as "Every End Exposed" with Hakuin's "commentary" that the translator goes out of his way to point out was bogus. More Zen reading here: /r/zen/wiki/getstarted
17
A Donkey
Master Xitang met the imperial messenger on the road. The imperial messenger invited Xitang to dine with him. While they were dining, a donkey happened to bray. The messenger said, "Priest." Xitang raised his head, and the messenger pointed at the donkey. But Xitang pointed at the messenger. The messenger was silent.
MASTER Xutang's instruction on the Case:
It is the fault of a small official, me.
.
Welcome link; ewk comment: who? The translator's commentary, including Hakuin's usual reluctance to engage the text, doesn't do much with the Case. It actually says "the koan is not quiet clear".
The messenger said that the donkey braying was just like a priest.
Xitang answers to the name, "priest".
Xitang calls the messenger a donkey.
I guess the real question is what made the messenger a donkey. The easy mistake to make would be simply calling the donkey a priest.
But Xitang only got involved in the pointing after the messenger did...
Submitted March 16, 2021 at 12:52PM by ewk https://ift.tt/2OBMkyz
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