Hotei*
"When Zen Master Nan-chuan saw his student Ma-tsu diligently practicing meditation hour after hour, he sensed a certain effort and ambition in the young monk’s demeanor, so he sneaked up behind him and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I’m trying to become a Buddha," Ma-tsu replied proudly.
Nan-chuan then picked up a stone and began rubbing it against a spare tile from the monastery floor.
Hearing the sound, Ma-tsu asked, "What are you doing?"
Said Nan-chuan: "I’m trying to make a mirror."
Ma-tsu had an awakening.
* Utagawa Kuniyoshi January 1, 1797 - April 14, 1862) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He is associated with the Utagawa school.
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