The Camouflaged Compassion

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 16:26

Once as a Zen master was celebrating his master's birthday, someone asked him as to why he was celebrating his master's birthday when he had denied him of becoming his disciple several times. He pointed out that the master had never initiated him and emphasized on his several denials whenever he was approached. He enquired the reason for celebrating the master's birthday which is traditionally celebrated only by those accepted as disciples.

The master laughed and replied, “I celebrate because he refused me. I now understand his compassion. Had he accepted me, I would have just become an imitator of him. Since he threw me into myself continuously, I started to stand on my own feet. Slowly the desperate urge in me to cling to somebody dropped. Hence he was the one who helped me. He was my master who actually accepted me in his rejection"