A Zen Story - The Broken Teapot
A Zen master's unexpected lesson.
Two disciples, Yan and Shou, traveled to a remote mountain, determined to meet Master Huai, a teacher known for his "wild wisdom."
They climbed all day and finally reached his hut as night fell. Inside, Huai sat in silence, facing the wall, breathing softly. Yan and Shou bowed and said, "Master, please teach us."
Without turning around, Huai said, “The answer to your question is on that ledge.”
Yan looked where Huai pointed. There, balanced on the ledge, was a clay teapot. Without hesitation, Shou reached out to grab it.
But Huai clapped his hands, startling Shou, who fumbled the pot. It tumbled, shattering on the floor.
"Why did you do that?" Shou asked, annoyed. Huai chuckled. “You were seeking answers in a teapot. And yet, when it broke, you still didn’t look inside."
Yan squinted, confused. "Was there something inside it, Master?”
"Of course,” Huai said, shaking his head, "but not what you think."
They left without asking any more questions.
When they reached the bottom of the mountain, Yan sighed. "Did we learn anything?"
Shou shrugged. "I guess we learned that sometimes, the teapot isn’t as important as the tea you think is inside."
Yan smiled. "Or maybe we just learned how to carry broken pieces down a mountain."
~ Daiki Shimada
My Comment to the Story:
Forget the teapot, forget the lesson.
Who is it that carries the pieces down the mountain?