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Sitaram
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Joined: 14 Sep 2005
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 Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject: Wind from the Colon |
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http://sulekha.com/chpost.asp?for...ilosophy&show=0&cid=76217
From "The World of Zen" , edited by Nancy Wilson Ross
Ch. 3 "Three Old Chinese Zen Stories"
Su Tung Po, the celebrated poet of the Sung Dynasty, was a devout
Buddhist. He had a very close friend named Fo Ying, a very brillian
Zen teacher. Fo Ying's temple was on the west bank of the Yang Tse
River, while Su Tung Po's house stood on the east bank. One day Su
Yung Po paid a visit to Fo Ying and, finding him absent, sat down in
his study to await is return. Becoming bored with waithing, he began
at length to scribble on a sheet of paper that he found lying on the
desk, the last words being "Su Tung Po, the great Buddhist who cannot
be moved even by the combined forces of the mighty Eight Worldly
Winds."
"Eight Worldly Winds" is a term widely used by Buddhists to denote
the eight worldly influences or interests that fan the passions and
thus drive one on forever as a slave in Samsara. They are: gain,
loss, defamation, eulogy, praise, ridicule, sorrow and joy.
After a while longer of waiting, Su Tung Po got tired and left for
home.
When Fo Ying returned and saw Su Tung Po's composition on the desk,
he added the following line: "Rubbish! What you have said is not
better than breaking wind!" and sent it to Su Tung Po.
When Su Tung Po read this outrageous comment, he was so furious that
he at once took a boat, crossed the river, and hurried once again to
the temple of Fo Ying. Catching hold of Fo Ying's arm, Su Tung Po
cried: "What right have you to denounce me in such language? Am I not
a devout Buddhist who cares only for the Dharma? Are you so blind
after knowing me for so long?"
Fo Ying looked at him quietly for a few seconds, then smiled and said
slowly: "Su Tung Po, the great Buddhist who claims that the combined
forces of the Eight Winds can hardly move him an inch, is now carried
all the way to the other side of the Yang Tse River by a single puff
of wind from the colon!"
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