Nanquan’s Body (2) – Zen Fools

Nanquan said to the assembly, “I am going to sell my body. Is there anyone who will buy it?”
A monk stepped forward from the crowd and said, “I will buy it.”
Nanquan said, “It is neither expensive nor cheap. How will you buy it?”

The monk was silent.

Student: “What would you have said if you had been the monk’s shoes?”
Master: “I would have said, ‘Why are you going to sell what is already mine to me?”

Commentary:
The reason why masters are called thieves is that they sell what sentient beings lost back to sentient beings.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway