Buddha is grass shoes

scarecrow · #1 (**permalink**) 15th July 2005, 09:45 AM

Quote:

A long time ago in Korea, there was a monk named Sok Du, which means 'Rockhead'. He was a very, very stupid monk, but he had a strong try-mind.

One day, Sok Du asked a Zen master, "What is Buddha?"
The Zen master replied, "Juk shim shi bul," which means "Buddha is mind." But Sok Du misheard him. He thought his teacher said, "Jip shin shi bul," which means "Buddha is grass shoes."

So for three years, he only kept this question: "Buddha is grass shoes. What does it mean? I don't know..." He never checked his practice. He never checked the question. He never checked his teacher. He did not think good or bad. Sok Du only kept this question with one-pointed determination in the midst of all his daily activities, whether sitting, standing, eating or working.

Then one day, while carrying firewood down a hill, Sok Du's foot hit a rock.The wood spilled out of his hands, and his straw sandals flew in the air as he tumbled on the ground. When the sandals landed, they were all torn up. Seeing this, in that moment Sok Du attained enlightenment. His torn sandals and his mind and the whole universe completely became one. In that point, he saw his true nature.

"Waaaahhh! Buddha is grass shoes!" He rushed back to his teacher, shouting, "Zen Master! Zen Master! Now I understand Buddha!"
"Oh? Then bring me your understanding."
Sok Du hit the Zen master on the head with his grass shoes.
"Only that?" the Zen master asked.
"My grass shoes are all broken!"
The Zen master threw his head back and laughed. "Ah, wonderful! Now you truly understand Buddha!"

From The Compass of Zen by Zen Master Seung Sahn.

So what does it mean?

This story greatly illustrates the point that it doesn't matter what your practice is. It doesn't matter what mantra you chant, it doesn't matter what meditation technique you use. All that matters is that you do it keeping One Mind.

It's easy for us to get disheartened and lets face it, until the moment we attain our true selves life can be just as confusing as the day we first started our practice. It's easy for us to think about where we would like to get to and what we would like to be but as soon as we start to think we are lost.

Like Sok Du, simply keep a Great Question and practice, practice, practice every moment.

Don't think, just do and eventually all will become clear.

Buddha is grass shoes.

I love it.

#2 (**permalink**) 15th July 2005, 02:51 PM

Lol, that's great scarecrow.

Lightkeeper · #3 (**permalink**) 15th July 2005, 03:35 PM

To me it means everything is expendable, especially our beliefs. The monk's true self heard what it needed to hear.

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