A small Zen story:🔗

There was once a twelve year old boy named Toyo. He was the youngest monk in the temple. Every morning and evening, the older disciples went to the Master's room to receive instructions. The Master gave them techniques to silence their minds. Toyo also wanted to get sazen (personal guidance) from the Master like the other disciples. When he asked the Master to give him a technique, the Master simply said, 'Wait for some time. You are too young.'

But Toyo continued to ask. So finally the Master said, 'Alright! You can hear the sound of two hands clapping. What is the sound of one hand clapping?'

Toyo went to his room and thought about the question. He could hear the music of the geishas in the distance. 'Ah, I have it!' he said to himself.

The next day when the Master asked him to show the sound of one hand clapping, Toyo began to play the music of the geishas.

The Master said, 'You haven't got it at all.'

Disappointed, Toyo went to a quiet place and meditated. He heard the sound of water dripping. 'Now I have it!' he thought. The next day when the Master asked him again, he imitated the sound of dripping water.

That is not the sound of one hand clapping, the Master said, "Try again."

The sigh of the wind, the screech of the owl, nothing that Toyo demonstrated for the Master in the next few weeks, the Master accepted.

So Toyo went on meditating. And then one day he understood. He went to the Master and prostrated in complete silence.

'Ah! Now you have it. Now you have understood the sound of one hand clapping.'