Long ago there was a monk called Prior Soku who lived in Master Hogen's order. Master Hogen asked him: “Soku, how long have you been with us?”
Soku said: “I have been here for three years now.”
The master said: “Since you are quite a new member, why don't you ever ask me about the Buddha's truth?”
Soku replied somewhat arrogantly: “I'd better tell you the truth. When I was studying with Master Seiho I attained the state of enlightenment.”
The master said: “What were the words that enlightened you?”
Soku said: “I once asked Seiho, ‘Who am I, this student?’
And Seiho replied, ‘That which the fire created comes looking for fire.’”
The master said: “Those words are true, but I wonder if you understood what he meant by them.”
Soku said: “Well, that which fire created comes looking for fire – I understood him to mean that I am already fire, but I am looking for fire. I am looking for myself although I am already myself.”
The master said: “Now I am sure that you missed the point of what he was saying to you. If the truth of the Buddha were only a kind of intellectual recognition, then it would never have survived for so long.”
Then Soku became embarrassed and disturbed, and stood up and started to leave the temple. But after a while on the path he thought to himself, 'Master Hogen is known as a good teacher throughout China, and he is teaching over 500 students. There must be something in his criticism of me.'
Then Soku returned to the temple to apologise and to respectfully ask Master Hogen to explain to him where he was wrong. He asked: “Who am I, this student?”
The master replied: “That which the fire created COMES LOOKING for fire.”
Hearing these words, Soku fully realized what the truth of the Buddha is.
-- translation by Mike Eido Luetchford, 2004.