Take No Notice

In days gone by, Ch'an master Hui Chueh of Lang Yeh mountain had a woman disciple who called upon him for instruction. The master taught her to examine the sentence: "Take no notice."

She followed his instructions strictly without backsliding. One day, her house caught fire, but she said: "Take no notice." Another day, her son fell into the water and when a bystander called her, she said: "Take no notice." She observed exactly her master's instructions by laying down all casual thoughts.

One day, as her husband lit the fire to make fritters of twisted dough, he threw into the pan full of boiling oil a batter which made a noise. Upon hearing the noise, she was instantly enlightened. Then she threw the pan of oil on the ground, clapped her hands and laughed. 

Thinking she was insane, her husband scolded her and said: "Why do you do this? Are you mad?" She replied: "Take no notice!"

Then she went to master Hui Chueh and asked him to verify her achievement. The master confirmed that she had obtained the holy fruit.

Commentary

This woman was lost in a practice-dream. If we seek to save all beings from suffering, we must take notice of the whole world. This notice will save houses from burning, children from drowning, oil from wasting, and husbands from irritation. This woman may have obtained some holy fruit but she failed to feed the hungry.

Source: Ch'an and Zen Teaching by Kuan Lu Yu

Photo by Christophe Mallet