AN INTRODUCTION TOZEN BUDDHISM
sonage.Hisfirstexclamationwas,"Thereisnotmuchafterall
in the Buddhism ofObaku." And when he againsaw the
reproachful Obaku, he returned his favour by giving him
a slap in the face. "What arrogance! What impudence!"
one may think. But there was reason in Rinzai's rude-
ness; no wonder Obaku was quite pleased with this
treatment.
WTienTokusan(Te-shan) gainedaninsightintothetruth
ofZenheimmediatelytook outall hiscommentarieson the
DiamondSutra, once so valued and considered indispensable
thathehadtocarrythemwhereverhewent,andsetfiretothem,
reducingallthemanuscriptstoashes.Heexclaimed,"However
deepone'sknowledgeofabstrusephilosophy,itislikeapiece
ofhairflyinginthevastnessofspace;howeverimp>ortantone's
experienceinthingsworldly,itislikeadropofwaterthrown
intoanunfathomableabyss."
Oneday,followingtheincidentoftheflyinggeese,towhich
referencewasmadeelsewhere,Basoappearedinthepreaching
hall and was about to speak before a congregation, when
Hyakujo,whosenosewasliterallyputoutofjoint,cameforward
andbegantorollupthematting whichisspread beforetheBuddhaforthemastertokneel.Therollingupgenerallymeans
theendofthesermon.Baso,withoutprotesting,camedownfrom
thepulpitandreturnedtohisroom.HesentforHyakujoand
askedhimwhyherolledupthemattingbefore hehadeven
utteredaword. RepliedHyakujo,"Yesterdayyou twistedmy
nose and it was quite painful." Said Baso, "Where were
your thoughts wandering?" Hyakujo replied, "Today it
is no longer painful." With this Baso admitted Hyakujo's
understanding.
These examples are suflficient to show what changes are
produced in one's mind by theattainment ofsatori. Beforesatori,howhelplessthosemonkswere!Theywereliketravellers
lostinthedesert. But after satori they behave likeabsolute
monarchs;theyarenolongerslavestoanybody,theyarethem-
selvesmaster.
Aftertheseremarksthefollowingpointsabouttheopeningofthemind that is calledsatorimaybeobservedandsum-
marized.