A Nun Awakens Seventeen Monks

A group of seventeen monks, all of them in search of Zen enlightenment, traveled to Mount Yang-shan. There they sought out the celebrated Master Yang-shan Hui-chi, who lived on the mountain, for guidance. 

It was arranged that they stay the night in a small temple attached to the large one. That evening they discussed one of the koans related to the Sixth Patriarch: "What moves is not the wind nor the banner, but your mind."

Now, the nun Miao-hsin, who presided over the temple, happened to hear their conversation and made a scathing criticism of it to her followers.

"Humbug!" she said. "It's a pity that the seventeen donkeys have worn out so many pairs of straw sandals on pilgrimages and still cannot even dream about the dharma."

One of the nuns attending the monks told them of her teacher's opinion. If they had not been true Zen followers they might have dismissed Miao-hsin's comments as a piece of impertinence, but they were ardent in their quest of enlightenment and they humbly begged her instruction.

On entering the nun's room together, they were asked to approach closer. While they were doing so, Miao-hsin said, "What moves is not the wind, nor the banner, nor your mind."

At once all the seventeen monks awakened.

Commentary

This version of the story blends elements from a version in Zen Poems, Prayers, Sermons, Anecdotes, and Interviews and a version attributed to Dogen. Miao-hsin was a dharma heir of Kao-an Ta-yu, the first women entered in the official Zen lineage charts.

Source: Zen Poems, Prayers, Sermons, Anecdotes, Interviews by Lucien Stryk

Photo by Tenku