A Handful of Grass for the Water Buffalo
While ideas around rebirth can feel irrational, the Buddha's teachings on this topic can help us better understand the true nature of the mind.
Two stories of Master Nansen (c.749-835):
Master Nansen, asked by a monk, ‘Where does he go who knows what is what?’ replied: ‘He becomes an ox of the monastery supporter down the hill, to requite him for his help.’ When the monk thanked him for his teaching, the Master added: ‘At midnight yesterday, the moon shone in at the window.’
Asked at another time, ‘Where will the Master be gone in a hundred years time?’ Master Nansen replied: ‘I’ll be a water-buffalo.’ The monk asked: ‘May I follow you or not?’ Master Nansen said: ‘If you do, bring a mouthful of grass with you!’
The Wisdom of the Zen Masters by Irmgard Schloegl
In the podcast:
• Famous koan ‘Nansen kills the cat’. Master of Joshu.
• Rebirth and reincarnation in Buddhism
• Repayment of debt and requited debt. Custodianship
• Two rebukes.
