Short Story: The emptiness of emptiness is fullness
By emptychair
@innertalks (23745)
Australia
April 17, 2023 2:53am CST
An old Zen master, Basao Cabuko, was seated cross-legged on a large flat boulder, in a large grassy field, meditating.
The farmer, who owned the field, came up to the Zen master, and said to him:
“Do you know where you are?”
The old Zen master, opened his eyes, and replied:
“There is no dirt on my face, to tell you where I came from. I am not holding on to your empty space.”
The farmer gave the master a shove, to his back. The master fell off of his rock, onto the dirty ground.
“There is dirt on your face now, old man. Get off of my land, and do not let me find you here ever again, or I will beat you with this stick.”
the farmer said.
The old master, gingerly stood up again, stretched himself a bit, and then he said to the belligerent farmer.
“I am sorry, my good man. I will not come here again, but tell me one thing now. Whose stick is bigger yours, or mine.”
The farmer said:
“You have no stick.”
The old man walked off, turning over his shoulder to reply,
“Exactly.”
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
“In waking a tiger, use a long stick.”
Mao Zedong, the Chinese Revolutionary, (1893 to 1976), said this.
I think he was pretty right there, in what he said, but who would ever want to awaken a sleeping tiger, or a meditating Zen master, for that matter, too?
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
3 people like this
3 responses
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
17 Apr 23
I know one thing, if I had any land to call my own, I would not want intruders on it.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
18 Apr 23
@innertalks Overly aggressive breeds hostility in these parts.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
18 Apr 23
@RebeccasFarm Yes, the aggressive person rubs everyone up the wrong way, and makes enemies of former friends. We need to have compassion for others, not anger.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
18 Apr 23
Here in Australia, at least it was different in the past. People were allowed to go onto someone's large farmland, to pick mushrooms, or to prospect for gold. People were more friendly in the old days.
The farmer could have been more friendly, and offered the Zen monk a meal, or a drink, instead of being so overtly aggressive with him, when he was doing nothing to harm the land, and in fact, his mediation might have even been bringing an aura of peace to his land too.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
17 Apr 23
I left the story up in the air, so the reader might be intrigued into thinking of their own meaning.
The master, being a master, also carried a large stick within himself, his enlightenment, but, he bowed to the farmer, and left him to ponder on what he had said, and hopefully, the farmer, might have learnt something thereby, by a lost truth stirring within his heart, which might carry him past his belligerent mind, and his worldly ways, of bullying.
The farmer was full of himself, the Zen master empty of the same fullness, but full just the same, of a peacefulness, a deep love, which allowed him to peacefully take the bullying, and walk away, with some honour still, in his step.
2 people like this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
17 Apr 23
@innertalks Now, I understand. I was too proud to acknowledge that I didn't quite understand what the message was. 
Now, I do. Thank you for the explanation. The bully and the master's lesson is quite clear now.
Now, I do. Thank you for the explanation. The bully and the master's lesson is quite clear now.2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
17 Apr 23
@Jenaisle No, I could tell that you appreciated my story, but, it raised many questions in your mind.
I was happy to answer them for you, as it does make the story clearer in its meaning, which was largely hidden in the subtleness of the story.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
18 Apr 23
Yes, I know that if a Zen master turned up on my doorstep, I would take the time to talk to him, and try to garner some of his wisdom for myself too.
When God sends such a person our way, we should be neighbourly, and not just sink the boot into them, or shoo them away like a blowfly landing on our table, as you said too.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
18 Apr 23
@Shiva49 Yes, when a door opens for us, we should usually go through it, as it is pointing out to us that we need such a change in our life. We should not look a gift horse in the mouth, is another saying, that comes to mind too.
We should be open to listen to promptings from our own soul too.
@Shiva49 (28402)
• Singapore
18 Apr 23
@innertalks It so happens we are purblind when we are presented with unique opportunities.
I recall in this instance there were a couple of knocks from a visitor. When asked who it was, the answer was "Opportunity". But that did not cut any ice as the reply was curt "Opportunity knocks only once".
We need to be alert to receive wisdom and lucky breaks in life as we tend to shoo them away without taking a second look.
1 person likes this
