The Story Of Enlightenment

Anecdotes

-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 17:49

The fruits of meditation was eluding while nun Chiyono studied Zen under Bukko of Engaku for a long time. Enlightenment suddenly dawned on her that eventful moonlit night while she was carrying water in an old pail bound with a bamboo. Suddenly the bamboo broke with the bottom falling put of the pail. That was the moment Chiyono become liberated. She recorded this moment in a poem to commemorate the event.

In this way and that I tried to save the old pail
Since the bamboo strip was weakening and about to break
Until at last the bottom fell out.
No more water in the pail!
No more moon in the water!