Tokusan said nothing at the time, but the next day he ascended the rostrum, and behold! he was very different from usual! Ganto going towards the front of the hall, clapped his hands and laughed loudly, saying, "Congratulations! Our old man has got holds of the last word! From now on, nobody in this whole country can outdo him!"
My interpretation differs from Sekida's, though I seem somewhat aligned with Mumon's comments. He refers to Tokusan and Ganto as 'puppets on a shelf' who have 'never dreamed' of the last word.
I sensed a thread in this koan relating to responding or being baited. Tokusan is chastised for doing something before 'the bell has rung' or 'the drum has sounded'. After being chastised, Tokusan returns to his room. He is also sensitive to Ganto's criticism, responds to it, and is influenced enough by it so that 'he is very different from usual'. However, the gossipy tone of the characters in the koan does not suggest to me that the criticism is something that should be taken seriously. It's more envious (he's famous, but he's not so great).
Tokusan's reactions to all these stimuli and his subsequent concern about Ganto's approval demonstrate a tendency to be controlled by the actions of others or to be pulled and pushed by the currents of the world. Ganto's final comment sounds like sarcasm to me. Tokusan may have achieved a last word as in 'having the last word', but he is not enlightened in his behavior. He will only be right-minded when he is free of the influences around him. The 'no one can outdo him' seems to be an ironic comment. You can win the battle and lose the war.
The point is that we must avoid being swayed and deluded by the actions and words of others. Only by disciplining our minds so that we are not pushed and pulled by random stimuli can we be in control and be free.
2 comments:
I think you found some interesting connections in the koan but I think you should reconsider it further.
This commentary explains it well I think.
Deshan is Tokusan
Xuefeng is Seppo
Yantou is Ganto
Also Tokusan was a real striker in younger days now he is teaching through surrender having ripened.
Senzaki's Comment
Deshan should have waited for the signal before entering the dining room. Thus, the old master "got the goat" of the cook. The cook should have considered his own rule-breaking -- delaying the dinner -- before criticizing his teacher. Because his Zen was green, he was not master of his mind; he could not see both sides of the wrong. Xuefeng told Yantou about this. Xuefeng still thought he was right and the master was wrong. If Yantou had blamed Xuefeng he would have had to have heard a noisy argument, so he switched the blame to the master. The aim of Zen is to attain peacefulness, not to settle a matter of right or wrong. Deshan hears about, calls in Yantou, who whispered to his teacher that what he had said was in hopes of enlightening his brother monk. Deshan said nothing. You see how gently the master listened to the tale-teller, and how naturally he asked Yantou about it, and how easily and freely he listened to the whisperer, just nodding to him. The next day, Deshan gave an entirely different kind of talk. What kind of lecture do you think the master gave? To work on this koan you must watch your step minute after minute. In your home, in your community, and in your world, you must polish and practice your own Zen. Do not blame the law-breakers until you examine yourself as to whether you are a law-breaker or not. If you know that there is no ego to be supported, you can easily and gracefully give in. Most of the time you gain by giving in, and you lose by persisting. There is no such thing called "ultimate truth" outside your everyday life.
I think you found some interesting connections in the koan but I think you should reconsider it further.
This commentary explains it well I think.
Deshan is Tokusan
Xuefeng is Seppo
Yantou is Ganto
Also Tokusan was a real striker in younger days now he is teaching through surrender having ripened.
Senzaki's Comment
Deshan should have waited for the signal before entering the dining room. Thus, the old master "got the goat" of the cook. The cook should have considered his own rule-breaking -- delaying the dinner -- before criticizing his teacher. Because his Zen was green, he was not master of his mind; he could not see both sides of the wrong. Xuefeng told Yantou about this. Xuefeng still thought he was right and the master was wrong. If Yantou had blamed Xuefeng he would have had to have heard a noisy argument, so he switched the blame to the master. The aim of Zen is to attain peacefulness, not to settle a matter of right or wrong. Deshan hears about, calls in Yantou, who whispered to his teacher that what he had said was in hopes of enlightening his brother monk. Deshan said nothing. You see how gently the master listened to the tale-teller, and how naturally he asked Yantou about it, and how easily and freely he listened to the whisperer, just nodding to him. The next day, Deshan gave an entirely different kind of talk. What kind of lecture do you think the master gave? To work on this koan you must watch your step minute after minute. In your home, in your community, and in your world, you must polish and practice your own Zen. Do not blame the law-breakers until you examine yourself as to whether you are a law-breaker or not. If you know that there is no ego to be supported, you can easily and gracefully give in. Most of the time you gain by giving in, and you lose by persisting. There is no such thing called "ultimate truth" outside your everyday life.
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