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Thread: BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 16

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    BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 16

    Hello All
    I have been asked to present this koan - Mayoku Thumps His Staff

    Attention! Mayoku arrived at Shokei's place holding his staff.

    He walked three times around the meditation seat of Shokei and thumped his staff once. Shokei said, "Right! Right!"

    Mayoku afterward went to Nansen's, walked three times around the meditation seat of Nansen and thumped his staff once.

    Nansen remarked "Wrong! Wrong!" Mayoku said, "Shokei said 'Right!' Why do you say, 'Wrong'?"

    Nansen said, "For Shokei, it is right. For you it is wrong.

    What comes from the power of the wind in the end becomes broken and crumbled."
    The first time around, this dance with Mayoku and Shokei, Shokei says Right! Mayoku is then set off still dancing though the music stopped and his partner has sat down!

    Mayoku's ego caught this wind in its sail, and moves him on to show off his new moves with with Nansen and he gets shut down and with Wrong!

    Right and wrong, we are warned to be wary of the trap here.

    Who is to say that Right! was positive? May it have been a polite way to acknowledge Mayoku and dismiss the pest in the zendo with two 'kind' words?

    After the last Right! from Shokei was uttered it was all over, but Mayoku forgot to let go of the moment. Nansen set him free again, harsh on an ego as it is, this is a compassionate move and reminds us all things are "time sensitive"!

    Mayoku reminds me of my kids with a new knock knock joke.
    First time its Funny! and we all have a laugh.
    second time we smile...
    the thirtieth time (not irritated at all of course ) we set them straight.
    Not right or wrong just all ready gone!

    We have all been here (and may still be!!) can you share a time you "had it" only to realize it was long gone and how did you come realize it?

    How do you handle a staff thumping visitor in your life?


    Gassho
    Shohei

    Last edited by Jundo; 07-07-2020 at 03:07 AM.

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