Phap Hien was a Vietnamese Zen master. He lived in the late 5th century and early the 6th century. When he was a young monk at the Phap Van Temple he met Vinitaruci (?-594) who was one of the successors of Seng-tsan, the Third Patriarch...
continue...
CHAO-CHOU ASKED FOR THE DIRECTION
When a monk was traveling on the road, he met an old woman, and asked: -I would like to know which way that leads to Chao-chou, would you please give me the direction? The old waman replied: -Just go straight, don't make any left turn or right turn. When the monk met Chao-chou, he said: On the road comming here, I met an old woman, it seemed that she understood Ch'an very well. Chao-chou said: -Let me see the old woman and test her for you. Chao-chou then went to see the old woman. When he met her, he asked: -I would like to know which way that leads to Chao-chou, would you please give me the direction? She replied: -Just go straight, don't make any left turn or right turn. When Chao-chou was back to his place, he said to the monk: -The old woman did not know at all. It was that Chao-chou stood right in front of her, wasn't it?
SUPPORT ZENGUIDE.COM
Purchase posters, art prints, media (music CD & DVD)