Mist and Rain in Adhyatma Teachings

 

The great Zen teacher, who was one of the first to bring Zen from China to Japan, in the 13th century, was asked at the end of a public ceremony: ‘Now you have come from China to Japan, how does your teaching differ?’

 

Bukko replied: ‘It does not. It is all the same. It is the same teaching.’

And the questioner said: ‘But you do, in fact, teach differently here. For instance, you teach through an interpreter.’

The Master replied: ‘Well, I suppose we can say there is some difference between mist and rain.’

© 1998 Trevor Leggett