THE CASE
When Isan was with Hyakujo he was the tenzo [who looks after the food]. Hyakujo wanted to choose a master for mount Daii, so he called the head monk and the rest of them, and told them that an exceptional person should go there. Then he took a water-bottle, stood it on the floor, and asked a question. "Don't call this a water-bottle, but tell me what it is!" The head monk said, "It can't be called a stump." Hyakujo asked Isan his opinion. Isan pushed the water-bottle over with his foot. Hyakujo laughed, and said, "The head monk has lost." Isan was ordered to start the temple.
Mumonkan, R.H. Blyth
Discussion:
What are we to make of this contest? What could anyone say to answer Hyakujo? There are so many using the word Zen now, it is common in the West to hear Zen attached to any number of things, to find books about meditation to inner peace or guides to enlightenment. These are often quite long books, too. Often when I pick them up to glance at the back cover, scan the table of contents, or browse the index, I find little reason to purchase such books. What answer do all these have to give Hyakujo and his little bottle of water?
The head monk has lost. He is not the only one.
