Читать книгу Pointing at the Moon - Alexander Holstein - Страница 19

A Withered Tree, a Splendid Tree

ONCE, WHEN the venerable master Yao Shan held the position of abbot, he was walking in a temple courtyard in the company of his two disciples, Tao Wu and Yun Yen. Two trees stood in front of the temple. One was withered and the other was in full splendor. Pointing at the trees the master asked, "Which of these trees is following the right way, the withered one or the one in splendor?"

"The one in splendor," replied Tao Wu.

"The brightness blinds the eyes," commented the master. He asked again, "Which is correct, a withered tree or one in splendor?"

"A withered one," answered Yun Yen.

"It is dominated by dullness," explained the master.

At this point they were joined by a monk, and Yao Shan asked him the same question.

"A withered tree complies with the withering of itself," the monk retorted, "a splendid tree follows its own splendor."

"No! No!" exclaimed the master, addressing his disciples.

Commentary: In ordinary people's thinking, all things can be differentiated by name and related to in terms of duality. In this case, "a tree in splendor," reflecting the positive concept of "is," was the answer chosen by Tao Wu. The master, however, didn't approve of this answer. On the other hand, "a withered tree," representing the negative concept, or "is not," was preferred by Yun Yen, but the master's reply indicated the equal delusion of Yun Yen's mind. Although the monk didn't choose either of the two opposing concepts, his answer assumed the existence of both and proved the fact that he wasn't released from the chain of rebirth and death. That's why the master couldn't accept the monk's answer, exclaiming, "No! No!" He did this not only to protest the error, but first and foremost to rouse his disciples' doubts, letting them come to an understanding on their own.