well duh!

[Guest guest]

Thanks Gloria:

Just read this to my wife and we both got hysterical.

Love,

Alton

 

, "Gloria Lee" <glee@i...> wrote:

> This is forwarded from ANetof Jewels list.

>

> Message: 1

> Mon, 18 Jun 2001 13:27:23 -0000

> "Paul Cote" <pjcote@l...>

> well duh!

>

>

>

> The teachers, seventy year old Kalu Rinpoche of Tibet, a veteran

> of years of solitary retreat, and the Zen master Seung Sahn, the

> first Korean Zen master to teach in the United States, were to

> test each other's understanding of the Buddha's teachings for

> the benefit of the onlooking Western students. This was to be a

> high form of what was being called dharma-combat (the clashing

> of great minds sharpened by years of study and meditation), and we

> were waiting with all the anticipation that such a historic

> encounter deserved.

> The two monks entered with swirling robes --

> maroon and yellow for the Tibetan, austere grey and black for

> the Korean -- and were followed by retinues of younger monks and

> translators with shaven heads. They settled onto cushions in the

> familiar cross-legged positions, and the host made it clear that

> the younger Zen master was to begin. The Tibetan lama sat very

> still, fingering a wooden rosary(mala) with one hand while

> murmuring, "Om Mani Peme Hung" continuously under his breath.

> The Zen master, who was already gaining renown for his method of

> hurling questions at his students until they were forced to admit

> their ignorance and then bellowing, "Keep that don't know mind!"

> at them, reached deep inside his robes and drew out an orange.

> "What is this?" he demanded of the lama. "What is this?"

> This was a typical opening question, and we could feel him ready to

> pounce on whatever response he was given.

> The Tibetan sat quietly fingering his mala and made no move to

> respond.

> "What is this?" the Zen master insisted, holding the orange up

> to the Tibetan's nose.

> Kalu Rinpoche bent very slowly to the Tibetan monk near to him

> who was serving as the translator, and they whispered back and

> forth for several minutes.

> Finally the translator addressed the room:

> "Rinpoche says, 'What is the matter with him? Don't

> they have oranges where he comes from?"

>

>

> The dialog progressed no further.

>

>

> ================

> Mark Epstein

> Thoughts without a Thinker

> about psychotherapy from a Buddhist perspective