Zen Parable

Suzuki climbed the last few yards up to summit. He had come to see his Zen master, Yamamoto, as he did once a month without fail. He had enjoyed his zazen meditation that evening at the monastery and now he looked forward to being with his master in the quiet of the late evening.

He knocked at the door and was invited in. To his horror he saw his master sitting on the floor in a room completely stripped of furnishings and furniture.

“Master! What has happened?!” he cried in shock.

“Calm down Suzuki”, his master replied in his calm soothing voice. “They came thinking I was not at home and took all my belongings. I came from meditating in the woods and found an empty house. It matters not. They have taken that which is not essential, that of no consequence. In their ignorance they have left the moonlight and the moon.”

As he spoke, a cloud obscured the moon and the room was plunged into darkness. “Let’s talk outside Suzuki”, and he rose from the floor and started to walk to the open door. He tripped over Suzuki’s haversack and fell flat on his face.

“Master, it’s my fault. I’m so sorry. Here, hold my hand and walk towards the door.” “Don’t blame yourself Suzuki, as ….. !!!!!” The sentence was left unfinished as Yamamoto crashed face first into one of the pillars supporting the roof.

“Master, are you all right?” shouted Suzuki as Yamamoto reeled backwards, tripped over Suzuki’s foot and fell to the floor once more.

“Circumstances are no more than events”, said Yamamoto as he stood up, took Suzuki’s arm and they both walked towards the door. They could just make out the door frame as the moon was still obscured by thick clouds. “Let’s sit on the porch,” and Suzuki carefully manoeuvred them both outside.

In the darkness Suzuki failed to see he’d missed the steps, and falling over the edge of the porch, still holding his master, he fell and dragged his master down with him. They fell in a heap on the hard packed earth.

“Bloody, good-for-nothing thieves. May you rot in hell!” Yamamoto shouted at the top of his voice. And so Suzuki became enlightened.

Bob