Is that so?

Post sayings or stories from Buddhist traditions which you find interesting, inspiring or useful. (Your own stories are welcome on DW, but in the Creative Writing or Personal Experience forums rather than here.)
Post Reply
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Is that so?

Post by Jesse »

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning her parents discovered she was with child.

This made her parents angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin. In great anger the parents went to the master. 'Is that so?' was all he would say.

After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbors and everything else the little one needed.

A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth - that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fish market.

The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again. Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was, 'Is that so?'
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
User avatar
Lhug-Pa
Posts: 1429
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:58 pm

Re: Is that so?

Post by Lhug-Pa »

Ah so (desu ka?)
White Lotus
Posts: 1333
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:56 pm

Re: Is that so?

Post by White Lotus »

so is just so, reality is reality. is that so? it was so with Hakuin and yet it wasnt.

so how do you answer Hakuin? ''Poor Hakuin, youve had a bad day.''

Tom.
in any matters of importance. dont rely on me. i may not know what i am talking about. take what i say as mere speculation. i am not ordained. nor do i have a formal training. i do believe though that if i am wrong on any point. there are those on this site who i hope will quickly point out my mistakes.
User avatar
Qian Zheng Yi
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 4:57 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Is that so?

Post by Qian Zheng Yi »

(((smiles)))
Image
User avatar
Quiet Heart
Posts: 269
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 10:57 am
Location: Bangkok Thailand

Re: Is that so?

Post by Quiet Heart »

White Lotus wrote:so is just so, reality is reality. is that so? it was so with Hakuin and yet it wasnt.

so how do you answer Hakuin? ''Poor Hakuin, youve had a bad day.''

Tom.
:smile:
Is that so?
:smile:
Shame on you Shakyamuni for setting the precedent of leaving home.
Did you think it was not there--
in your wife's lovely face
in your baby's laughter?
Did you think you had to go elsewhere (simply) to find it?
from - Judyth Collin
The Layman's Lament
From What Book, 1998, p. 52
Edited by Gary Gach
Post Reply

Return to “Dharma Stories”