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Master Obaku left Mount Obaku one day, leaving his disciples and went to the temple, Dai-An. He mingled with other workers and made the household of the Buddha hall and conference room.
One day, the Prime Minister Haikyu went to the temple to burn incense. A shuji (one of the officers of the temple) received him.
The Prime Minister, on seeing a portrait on a wall, asked: Which character is it there?
The monk replied: is the portrait of a reverend monk.
The Prime Minister said: I can see the portrait, but where is the reverend monk?
None of the monks did not know how to answer his question.
Premier asked there any men in this temple of zazen?
The monk replied: There is a monk who came to work at the temple recently. It could be a man of zazen.
The Prime Minister said: Could you bring me, I can ask him?
The monks left immediately in search of master Obaku. Seeing this, the Prime Minister had looked happy and said Right now, I had a question, but none of the monks can answer it. I would like you to answer for them, and give me a word that can change my life.
Obaku Master said: Mr. Prime Minister, please ask me your question.
the Prime Minister told him.
The master shouted loudly: Mr. Prime Minister!
The Prime Minister replied.
The master asked: Where are you?
The Prime Minister was awake, as if he had received a pearl from the knot in the hair of the Buddha Gautama.
He said My master is really a reverend monk.
Then he re-Obaku invited to open the temple.
Commentary Nishijima roshi
The question of the Premier "I can see the portrait, but where is the referenda monk?" separates the portrait of what it is - an abstract representation that portrays the physical body of the monk represented. The issue is the difference between the views idealistic and materialistic. In "response" to the question, the teacher reminds the Prime Minister in a loud voice. This is a fact of life, a real physique and brings attention to the second view, which is concrete.
At Prime Minister's reply, master Obaku asked him "Where are you?" , which focuses on the actual location, the real situation in which they are involved. This question opens the eyes of the Prime Minister to the reality of the situation as it actually exists in this very spot. The distinction between the portrait, or the idea, and what it represents has been transcended. There were not two things: the image of something and what was referring to this image, there was only one reality.
The Prime Minister had found the reverend monk. Would you say that this master was Obaku reverend monk? What the Prime Minister? Could we not also say that he was himself the reverend monk in our history? Maybe that Reverend monk had found his own true self?
And what about you in your lives? You have undoubtedly seen many pictures or supported many ideas about what should look like Reverend person. But will you find that person in real life, in your own life? This is the real task of a Buddhist.
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