Tekisui's Water Enlightenment

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, December 18, 2008, 13:36

Gisan, the Zen master once asked one of his students to fetch a pail of water in order to cool his bath.

The student did as he was instructed and threw the remaining little water on the ground.

Gisan immediately snapped at him : "You dunce ! Why did you not give the rest of the water to the plants ? What right have you to waste even a single drop of water in this temple ?"

The young student captured the essence of Zen instantly. He later changed his name to Tekisui which meant a drop of water.