Soundless Sound
Sunday, 25. February 2007, 13:22:58
source of story ~ 101 Zen Stories
The Sound of One Hand
The master of Kennin temple was Mokurai, Silent Thunder. He had a little protégé named Toyo who was only twelve years old. Toyo saw the older disciples visit the master's room each morning and evening to receive instruction in sanzen or personal guidence in which they were given koans to stop mind-wandering.
Toyo wished to do sanzen also.
"Wait a while," said Mokurai. "You are too young."
But the child insisted, so the teacher finally consented.
In the evening little Toyo went at the proper time to the threshold of Mokurai's sanzen room. He struck the gong to announce his presence, bowed respectfully three times outside the door, and went to sit before the master in respectful silence.
"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together," said Mokurai. "Now show me the sound of one hand."
Toyo bowed and went to his room to consider this problem. From his window he could hear the music of the geishas. "Ah, I have it!" he proclaimed.
The next evening, when his teacher asked him to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.
"No, no," said Mokurai. "That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."
Thinking that such music might interrupt, Toyo moved his abode to a quiet place. He meditated again. "What can the sound of one hand be?" He happened to hear some water dripping. "I have it," imagined Toyo.
When he next appeared before his teacher, he imitated dripping water.
"What is that?" asked Mokurai. "That is the sound of dripping water, but not the sound of one hand. Try again."
In vain Toyo meditated to hear the sound of one hand. He heard the sighing of the wind. But the sound was rejected.
He heard the cry of an owl. This was also refused.
The sound of one hand was not the locusts.
For more than ten times Toyo visited Mokurai with different sounds. All were wrong. For almost a year he pondered what the sound of one hand might be.
At last Toyo entered true meditation and transcended all sounds. "I could collect no more," he explained later, "so I reached the soundless sound."
Toyo had realized the sound of one hand.
With the soundless sound within, all one hears is ones own thoughts and self ... so we move into the trueself with meditations we see the mirrors internal, and the viels are lifted....
love and peace
becca
The Sound of One Hand
The master of Kennin temple was Mokurai, Silent Thunder. He had a little protégé named Toyo who was only twelve years old. Toyo saw the older disciples visit the master's room each morning and evening to receive instruction in sanzen or personal guidence in which they were given koans to stop mind-wandering.
Toyo wished to do sanzen also.
"Wait a while," said Mokurai. "You are too young."
But the child insisted, so the teacher finally consented.
In the evening little Toyo went at the proper time to the threshold of Mokurai's sanzen room. He struck the gong to announce his presence, bowed respectfully three times outside the door, and went to sit before the master in respectful silence.
"You can hear the sound of two hands when they clap together," said Mokurai. "Now show me the sound of one hand."
Toyo bowed and went to his room to consider this problem. From his window he could hear the music of the geishas. "Ah, I have it!" he proclaimed.
The next evening, when his teacher asked him to illustrate the sound of one hand, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.
"No, no," said Mokurai. "That will never do. That is not the sound of one hand. You've not got it at all."
Thinking that such music might interrupt, Toyo moved his abode to a quiet place. He meditated again. "What can the sound of one hand be?" He happened to hear some water dripping. "I have it," imagined Toyo.
When he next appeared before his teacher, he imitated dripping water.
"What is that?" asked Mokurai. "That is the sound of dripping water, but not the sound of one hand. Try again."
In vain Toyo meditated to hear the sound of one hand. He heard the sighing of the wind. But the sound was rejected.
He heard the cry of an owl. This was also refused.
The sound of one hand was not the locusts.
For more than ten times Toyo visited Mokurai with different sounds. All were wrong. For almost a year he pondered what the sound of one hand might be.
At last Toyo entered true meditation and transcended all sounds. "I could collect no more," he explained later, "so I reached the soundless sound."
Toyo had realized the sound of one hand.
With the soundless sound within, all one hears is ones own thoughts and self ... so we move into the trueself with meditations we see the mirrors internal, and the viels are lifted....
love and peace
becca
WIDGETIZE
I always thought the sound of one hand clapping must be *swish*
---
Ocean of Lotuses
By anonymous user, # 25. February 2007, 18:03:26
seriously though i love stories like this because they really make your mind focus and can be a good aid to meditation for starting learners and more experienced students as well
Chapter 5
Heaven and Earth are without bias
And regard myriad things as straw dogs
The sage is without bias
And regards people as straw dogs
The space between Heaven and Earth
Is it not like a bellows?
Empty, and yet never exhausted
It moves, and produces more
Too many words hasten failure
Cannot compare to keeping quiet
beccaxx
By Munchkin97, # 27. February 2007, 01:55:12
Are you okay? I noticed your wonderful site is gone
{{hugs}}
By Munchkin97, # 1. March 2007, 20:59:26
I am ok. A lot has happened, and I can't imagine where to start trying to explain it, or even make sense of it myself. I'm trying, in a journal I'll be keeping private at the very least until I work things out and make some decisions. Suffice it to say my life turned into a bad movie, but I'm out of the theater now, basically all right.
Thank you for your concern; you have no idea just how much it means right now.
By anonymous user, # 5. March 2007, 01:44:46
when my life turned into a bad movie i found the TTC very helpful
http://truetao.org/ttc/complete.htm
daobecca@gmail.com
beccaxx
By Munchkin97, # 6. March 2007, 21:34:08
Thanks
I think without the Tao always near to mind, I might not be alive right now. I certainly wouldn't be out of the trouble I was in. I hung on to it for dear life, and it repaid by giving me that same life back. And now...everything's wide open in front of me, if I can just figure out what it is I want to do next.
By anonymous user, # 7. March 2007, 05:35:45
i'm positive you will find your path through life
love and peace
becca
By Munchkin97, # 7. March 2007, 11:23:07
Looks like I was anonymous last time. Whoooops
I think my path is starting to come clear - I'm just not sure if I quite believe it *laugh* Right now the hardest thing is to not let it all happen in a huge rush. After enough bad, it's amazingly hard to approach good with any kind of discretion.
By anonymous user, # 8. March 2007, 00:53:01
That is so true
love and peace
becca
By Munchkin97, # 8. March 2007, 12:54:51
Hello Hanna;
I just wanted to say that I am also glad you are "out of the theatre." I began reading your blog a few weeks ago and became worried about you when it wasn't there anymore. I hope the darkness of the theatre is turning into the light of day once again. Peace and comfort to you.
Theresa
By anonymous user, # 8. March 2007, 21:31:37
Thank you both so much!
I'm currently dealing with my family, who with two exceptions have responded to all this with a heartfelt "Boy, are YOU stupid!". A little support goes a long way these days
By anonymous user, # 9. March 2007, 00:58:08
take care
beccaxx
By Munchkin97, # 9. March 2007, 22:01:32
Yes - do take care!
Theresa
By anonymous user, # 12. March 2007, 20:47:45