There is an old tradition in some Japanese Zen temples that if a wandering monk can win an
argument about Buddhism with one of the resident monks, he can stay the night. If not, he has to
move on.
There was such a temple in northern Japan run by two brothers. The elder brother was very
learned and the younger brother was rather stupid, and he had only one eye.
One evening a wandering monk came to ask for lodging. The elder brother was very tired as he
had been studying for many hours, so he told the younger brother to go and take the debate.
"Request that the dialogue be in silence," said the elder brother.
A little later the traveler came to the elder brother and said, "What a wonderful fellow your brother
is. He has won the debate very cleverly, so I must move on. Good night."
"Before you go," said the elder brother, "please relate the dialogue to me."
"Well," said the traveler, "first I held up one finger to represent Buddha. Then your brother held
up two fingers to represent Buddha and his teaching. So I held up three fingers to represent
Buddha, his teaching, and his followers. Then your clever brother shook his clenched fist in my
face to indicate that all three came from one realization."
With that the traveler left.
A little later the younger brother came in looking very distressed. "I understand you won the
debate," said the elder brother.
"Won nothing," said the younger brother, "that traveler is a very rude man."
"Oh?" said the elder brother, "Tell me the subject of the debate."
"Why," said the younger brother, "the moment he saw me, he held up one finger insulting me by
indicating that I have only one eye. But because he was a stranger I thought I would be polite, so
I held up two fingers congratulating him on having two eyes. At this, the impolite wretch held up
three fingers to show that we had but three eyes between us, so I got mad and threatened to
punch his nose--so he went."
The elder brother laughed.
argument about Buddhism with one of the resident monks, he can stay the night. If not, he has to
move on.
There was such a temple in northern Japan run by two brothers. The elder brother was very
learned and the younger brother was rather stupid, and he had only one eye.
One evening a wandering monk came to ask for lodging. The elder brother was very tired as he
had been studying for many hours, so he told the younger brother to go and take the debate.
"Request that the dialogue be in silence," said the elder brother.
A little later the traveler came to the elder brother and said, "What a wonderful fellow your brother
is. He has won the debate very cleverly, so I must move on. Good night."
"Before you go," said the elder brother, "please relate the dialogue to me."
"Well," said the traveler, "first I held up one finger to represent Buddha. Then your brother held
up two fingers to represent Buddha and his teaching. So I held up three fingers to represent
Buddha, his teaching, and his followers. Then your clever brother shook his clenched fist in my
face to indicate that all three came from one realization."
With that the traveler left.
A little later the younger brother came in looking very distressed. "I understand you won the
debate," said the elder brother.
"Won nothing," said the younger brother, "that traveler is a very rude man."
"Oh?" said the elder brother, "Tell me the subject of the debate."
"Why," said the younger brother, "the moment he saw me, he held up one finger insulting me by
indicating that I have only one eye. But because he was a stranger I thought I would be polite, so
I held up two fingers congratulating him on having two eyes. At this, the impolite wretch held up
three fingers to show that we had but three eyes between us, so I got mad and threatened to
punch his nose--so he went."
The elder brother laughed.
为住宿而进行的对话交易 在一些日本的禅院中，有一个旧的传统： 那就是一个流浪的和尚于一个当地的和尚 要辩论有关佛教的问题，如果他赢了， 那么他就能住下过夜，如果输了， 他就不得不继续流浪。 在日本的北方， 有兄弟俩掌管着这样的一座寺院。 哥哥非常有学问， 而弟弟比较笨， 并且只有一只眼睛。 一天晚上，一个流浪的和尚来请求住宿， 哥哥学习了很久，感到非常累， 所以他吩咐他的弟弟去辩论， 哥哥说：“要在沉默中进行对话。” 过了一下会儿，那个流浪者来见哥哥， 并且说：“你弟弟真是个厉害的家伙， 他非常机智地赢了这场辩论， 所以我要走了，晚安。” “在你走之前，”哥哥说， “请告诉我这场对话。” “好，”流浪者说，“首先我伸出一个手指 代表佛陀，接着，你的弟弟伸出两个手指， 表示佛陀和他的教导； 为此我伸出三个手指，代表佛陀， 他的教导和他的门徒，接着，你聪明的 弟弟在我面前挥动着他紧握的拳头， 表示那三个都是来自一个整体的领悟。” 随后，流浪者走了。 过了一会儿，弟弟带着一付痛苦的样子 跑进来。“我知道你赢了那场辩论，” 哥哥说。 “没什么赢的，”弟弟说， “那个流浪者是个非常粗鲁无礼的人。” “噢？”哥哥说， “告诉我那场辩论的主题。” “嗨，”弟弟说，“当他看见我时， 他伸出一个手指头侮辱我只有一只眼睛， 但因为他是一个新来的人，我想还是 礼貌些，所以我伸出两个手指，祝贺他 有两只眼睛。这时，这个无礼的坏蛋伸出了三个手指， 表示在我们中间只有三只眼睛， 所以我气疯了，威胁地用拳头打了他的鼻子—— 所以他走了。” 哥哥笑了。 |
| All debates are futile and stupid. Debate as such is foolish, because no one can reach the truth through discussion, through debate. You may get a night's shelter, but that's all. Hence the tradition. The tradition is beautiful. In any Zen monastery in Japan, for many centuries, if you ask for shelter you have to discuss. If you win the debate, you can stay for the night – this is very symbolic – but only for the night. In the morning you have to move on. This indicates that through debate, logic, reasoning, you can never reach the goal, only a night's shelter. And don't deceive yourself that the night's shelter is the goal. You have to move on. In the morning you have to again be on your feet... --Osho No Water, No Moon, ch. 2 |
| Chapter 2 Trading Dialogue For Shelter Chinese -- simplified characters |
| oshobob The Living Workshop |
| No Water, No Moon--Chinese |
| mp3 audio in standard Chinese by a native speaker from the People's Republic of China. |
| No Water, No Moon talks on Zen stories by Osho |
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