Planting Trees with Rinzai

Planting Trees with Rinzai

Rinzai invited me to go along with him to plant trees on the hillside. As we worked, I asked him if he considered Huangbo or Daiyu to be his teacher.

He said, "Yes, and that was where my delusions and preoccupations kept me from testifying to the fact."

Thinking he had misunderstood my question, I began to rephrase it, whereupon he struck me three times with a sapling and cleared up my doubts. I thanked him, then asked him about the discrepancy between his record and the record of Joshu; was it he or Joshu that made the comment about a second ladle full of dirty water while washing his feet?

Again, he struck me with a sapling—but this time not out of compassion. I still feel the sting.