History Staff Testimony Class Curriculum Zen Testing
Trading and dialogue for Lodging
Provided he makes and wins an argument about
Buddhism with those who live there,
any wandering monk can remain in a Zen temple.
If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan
two brother monks were dwelling together.
The elder one was learned,
but the younger one was not very bright and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a
debate about the sublime teaching.
The elder brother, tired that day from much studying,
told the younger one to take his place,
"Go and request the dialogue in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the wandering monk
went to the shrine and sat down,
Shortly afterwards the wandering monk rose
and went in to the elder brother and said:
" Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the wanderer, "First I held up one finger,
representing Buddha, the enlighten one.
So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching.
I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers,
living the harmonious life.
Then He shook his clenching fist in my face,
indicating that all three come from one realization.
Thus he won and I have no right to remain here.
" With this, the wander monk left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running to his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger,
insulting me by insinuating that I have only one eye.
Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to him,
so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes.
Then the impolite wretch held up three fingers,
suggesting that between us we only have three eyes.
So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that end it"
From 101 Zen Stories