The Hall is Very Dark
THE STUDENT Tokusan used to come to the master Ryutan in the evenings to talk and to listen. One night it was very late before he was finished asking questions.
“Why don’t you go to bed?” asked Ryutan.
Tokusan bowed, and lifted the screen to go out. “The hall is very dark,” he said.
“Here, take this candle,” said Ryutan, lighting one for the student.
Tokusan reached out his hand, and took the candle.
Ryutan leaned forward, and blew it out.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
This reminds me of the Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Had Ryutan given Tokusan a burning candle to get him down the dark hallway, the challenge would’ve been solved for the time being. The next time Tokusan was in the same situation, he would have no solution. Ryutan gave Tokusan some of the tools he would need to get down a dark hallway and hopefully next time he went somewhere and knew it would be dark when he had to leave, he would have the foresight to be prepared.
March 8th, 2009 at 4:15 am
I agree completely. Some times we only need to be shown HOW not why.