Submitted by TheFacelessFace in zen



Ancestor Ma sent someone to take a letter and three jars of bean paste to give to the master (BaiZhang).

The master had him place them in the front of the teaching hall; then he went up into the hall.

As soon as the community had gathered, he pointed at the bean paste jars with his staff and said, "If you can speak, I will not break them; if you cannot speak, then I'll break them."

The community was speechless, so the master broke the jars and returned to his abbot quarters.

~ Sayings and Doings of BaiZhang; T. Cleary



 

Why do you think this was included in BaiZhang's Record?

BaiZhang had the visiting monk place the jars of bean paste in front of the teaching hall ... was this a teaching?

And what was in the letter?

1

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