Testing the Master

[Guest guest]

You know how children are—always playfully testing and pushing the

boundaries, to find out what they can get away with. But for this

young student at the monastery, the matter was serious. He had a

grudge against his teacher and he was determined to prove him wrong.

After weeks of intense scheming, he finally concocted a devilish plan

that he thought was a fool-proof way of ridiculing his master.

 

One early morning, on his way to lessons, he caught a baby dove which

he hid in the palm of his hands. In front of the whole class he

showed his cupped hands to his teacher.

 

 

" Master, I know that you know everything, so I want you to solve this

riddle that I've designed for you. I have in my hands a dove. Can you

tell me if it is alive or dead? "

 

His plan could not fail. If the master said the dove was alive, the

student would subtly break its neck within his closed palms. If the

master said it was dead, the student would simply open his hands and

show that it was alive. Either way, the master would be wrong.

 

The monk had great intuition and knew the evil plan of his student.

But his answer defeated his student. What did he say?

 

 

The master simply said:

 

" My son, the answer is in your hands. "

 

Good and evil impulses are forever raging within our consciousness.

Even in holy places (the monastery) or in saintly company (the great

master), negative tendencies will arise and will have to be conquered.

 

This clever Zen riddle shows how to resolve this terrible conflict.

The master did not engage the battle at the level that the student

(representing the ego) expected. He turned the matter over to the

student's own conscience, indirectly telling him " My son, I know the

dark forces you are battling within yourself. Do not indulge in these

negative tendencies, and turn yourself over to the light within. No

one can do it for you. The outcome of your inner struggle is in your

hands. "