Elder Ting asked Lin-chi,
"Master, what is the great meaning of Buddha's teachings?"
Lin-chi came down from his seat, slapped Ting and pushed him away.
Ting was stunned and stood motionless.
A monk nearby said, "Ting, why do you not bow?"
At that moment Ting attained great enlightenment.
(Koan)
First
reaction
Why did Elder Ting slap Lin-chi?
Exploration
What does "great meaning" suggest? Was Lin-chi expecting some incredible verbal
insight?
What was Lin-chi expecting Elder Ting to say?
Can the teachings be articulated so readily, so easily? Can there be such a
thing as a verbal understanding?
Was the slap a form of punishment?
Why did Lin-chi understand when he was asked to bow?
Possible meaning
Asking for a verbal explanation assumes that we can express
reality using words and thoughts.
A word is a signifier, pointing to an object. It is not the object itself.
The danger with words is that we understand and interpret them relative to our
own experience, memories and bias.
The slap is immediate, real and painful.
It grounds us in the immediate and all thought ceases.
We are one with the moment. We feel the raw sensation and how it affects our
body and mind.
We are utterly present.
"Great meaning" expresses the expectation of something extraordinary and
unusual.
Being at one with existence is a natural condition, nothing remarkable happens.
Page created 19 May 2005