With Nothing to Call My Own
· Teachings · Baizhang, Book of Serenity, Dharma Discourse, enlightenment, Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Gratitude, Heart Sutra, Winter 2018by Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi
Book of Serenity Case 14
Attendant Huo Passes Tea
The Pointer
Probing pole in hand, shadowing grass around him, sometimes he wraps a ball of silk in iron, sometimes he wraps a special stone with silk. To determine the soft by means of the hard is of course right; what about the matter of being weak when meeting strength?
Main Case
Attendant Huo asked Deshan, “Where have all the sages since antiquity gone?”
Deshan said, “What? How’s that?”
Huo said, “The order was for a ‘flying dragon’ horse but a ‘lame tortoise’ shows up.” Deshan let it rest.
The next day when Deshan came out of the bath, Huo passed him some tea.
Deshan patted Huo on the back. Huo said, “This old fellow has finally gotten a glimpse.” Again Deshan let the matter rest